i^..'f 


^ 


■'•^^■■^mv:r 


BV  2060  .T49  1889            j 

Thompson,  Augustus  Charles, 

1812-1901. 

Foreign  missions 

FOREIGN    MISSIONS 


THEIR   PLACE   IN  THE    PASTORATE 
IN  PR  A  YER     IN  CONFERENCES 


TEN    LECTURES 


BY 


AUGUSTUS    C.    THOMPSON 

author    of    "moravian    missions"    "the    mercy  seat 
"the  better   land"   etc 


NEW   YORK 
CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS 


('OPVRIGHT    BV 

AUGUSTUS    C.    THOMPSON. 
1889. 


Xicacou  tlrrss : 

T\iOMAS    TODD,    STEREOTYl'ER, 


NOTE. 


TJie  Foreign  Missionaiy  Lectureship  in  the 
Hartford  TJieological  Seminary  requires  an  annual 
scries  of  lectures^  not  less  than  ten  nor  more  than 
fifteen  in  nnmber.  The  topics  here  treated  and 
the  method  of  treatment  are  only  i7i  part  ivhat 
they  ivould  have  been  before  an  audience  less  pro- 
fessional and  iji  a  place  more  public.  The  follow- 
ing form    one  of  the  courses   delivered  to   Senior 

Classes  in  that  institution. 

A.  C.  T. 

Boston,  i88g. 


CONTENTS 


Lecture  I.     The  Minister's  Sphere.     P/ges  T-38. 

Extra- Parochial  Sphere  —  Why  not  a  Missionary  ?  —  Indifference 
to  be  Met  —  The  American  Ministry  —  Professional  Treatises 

—  Chr}'sostom's  De  Sacerdotio  —  Erasmus'  Ecclesiastes  — 
Modern  Treatises  —  Recent  Improvement  —  The  Pastor's 
Position  —  Humble  Sphere,  Wide  Influence — Parochial  Ben- 
efits —  Reaction  upon  a  Pastor —  Evangelistic  Enthusiasm. 

Lecture  II.     Missionary  Obligation.     Pages  39-72. 

Based  upon  Christ's  Deity  —  Messianic  Prerogative  —  Old  Testa- 
ment Intimations  —  Regal  Authority  —  The  Last  Command 

—  Secular  Advantages  —  Reflex  Benefits  —  Obedience  Prompt 
and  Implicit  —  Harmony  of  Benevolence  and  Loyalty  —  Ap- 
ostolic Interpretation  —  Instinctive  Sentiments  —  Among  the 
Unevangelized  —  The  Newly  Evangelized  —  Evangelistic 
Failure. 

Lecture  III.     Missionary  Obligation  —  Continued.    Page.* 
73-109. 

Defective  Ethics — Text-Books  in  Use — Christian  Ethics  —  In 
English  —  In  German  —  Philosophical  Ethics  —  Writings  on 
Casuistry  —  Edificatory  Writings  —  De  Imitatione  Christi  — 
Amdt's  True  Christianity  —  Venn's  Complete  Duty  of  Man 

—  Jeremy  Taylor's  Writings  —  Law's  Serious  Call  —  Dod- 
dridge's Rise  and  Progress  —  Holy  Scriptures  —  Spiritual 
Illumination  —  Special  Prayer  Required. 

(v) 


VI  CONTENTS. 

Lecture  IV.     Ministerial  Prayer  and  Missions.      Pages 
111-152. 

Efficacy  of  Prayer  —  Ministers  Specially  Responsible  —  Liturgies 

—  Extemporaneous  Prayer  —  Professional  Training — Litera- 
ture of  Prayer  —  Devotional  Compositions  —  Miscellaneous 
Compilations  —  Individual  Supplication  —  Large  Requests  — 
Earnest  Supplication  —  In  Last  Hours  —  Employment  of 
Means  —  Social  Needs. 

Lecture  V.     Missionary  Concerts.     Pages  153-193. 

United  Prayer  —  Underlying  Principle  —  Illustrated  in  Scripture 

—  Literature  of  the  Subject — The  Lord's  Prayer  —  Sacred 
Lyrics  —  Rise  of  Concerted  Prayer  —  Early  Times  —  Among 
Moravians  —  In  Great  Britain  —  In  America. 

Lecture  VI.     Missionary   Concerts  —  Continued.     Pages 
194-242. 

Prayer  for  Missions  —  The  Year  1S06  —  Certain  Results  — 
Monthly  Concert  —  The   Year   181 5 — Park  Street   Concert 

—  Characteristics  and  Results  —  General  Methods  —  Time 
and  Place  —  Various  Details  —  Missionary  Intelligence  — 
Home  Talent  Enlisted  —  Use  of  Maps — Other  Concerts  — 
Extra-Denominational  Interest. 

Lecture  VII.     Missionary  Concerts  —  Continued.     Pages 
243-286. 

Primitive  Concert  —  Present  Need  —  Appropriate  Features  — 
Humiliation  —  Earnestness  —  Particularity  —  Among  Mora- 
vians—  Individual  Names —  Private  and  Special  —  Enlarged 
Desires  —  A  School  of  Faith  —  A  School  of  Prayer  —  Cove- 
nants of  Supplication  —  Spiritual  Concord  —  In  Christ's 
Name  —  Defmiteness  of  Object  —  Incidental  Advantages. 


CONTENTS.  VU 

Lecture  VIII.     Prayer  for  Missions  Answered.     Pages 
287-331- 

Answers  to  be  Expected  —  Distance  an  Embarrassment  —  Lapse 
of  Time  —  General  Progress  —  Specific  Delays  —  Immediate 
Fulfillment  —  Subjects  —  The  Less  Specific  —  Perils  —  In- 
dividuality of  Supplication  —  Spiritual  Advancement  —  Asso- 
ciated Intercession  —  Private  —  Impulses  —  Results  —  Equiv- 
alents—  More  than  is  Asked  —  Thanksgiving  and  Praise. 

Lecture  IX.    Missionary  Conferences.     Pages  332-376. 

Sociality  Gaining  —  Conferences  among  Missions  —  Called  by 
Deputations  —  Local  —  Provincial  —  General  —  In  Christian 
Lands  —  Denominational  —  Limited  —  General  —  Institu- 
tional —  Conference  of  1878  —  Arrangements  —  Topics  — 
Representative  Men  —  Spirit  —  Infelicities  —  Progress  Re- 
ported. 

Lecture  X.   Missionary  Conferences  —  Continued.    Pages 

377-425- 

Conference  of  1888  —  Origin  and  Place  —  Description  Inadequate 
—  Relative  Size  —  Noticeable  Variety  —  Ability  and  Posi- 
tion —  Rank,  Titles,  etc.  —  American  Delegation  —  Method 
of  Proceeding  —  Subjects  Discussed  —  Antagonistic  Systems 
and  Agencies  —  Chief  Foreign  Fields  —  Non-Geographical 
Subjects  —  Not  a  Centennial  —  Spirit  and  Tone  —  Social 
Amenities  —  General  Features  and  Results. 

Appendix,  Pages  426-464. 


LECTURE   1. 

THE  MINISTER'S  SPHERE, 


THE   MINISTER'S   SPHERE. 

None  but  he  who  made  the  world,  says 
John  Newton,  can  make  a  minister  of  the 
gospel.  It  may  be  added,  he  never  made  a 
minister  for  any  sphere  less  than  the  world. 
The  question  whether  an  ambassador  for 
Christ  should  put  forth  effort  in  behalf  of 
the  unevangelized  is  not  an  open  one.  The 
question  of  personal  labor  among  the  heathen 
is  only  a  subordinate  one.  Wherever  and 
whatever  he  may  be  —  evangelist,  pastor, 
professor,  secretary  —  he  is  held  by  the  King 
of  kings  to  a  service  in  the  campaign  for 
subjugating  all  nations.  The  method  of 
discharging  his  duty  is  left  to  the  judgment 
of  each  man,  under  the  best  light  he  can 
gather  from  the  throne  of  grace  and  the 
providence  of  God.  But  at  all  events  he 
belongs  to  the  army,  and  if  any  one  may  be 
off   duty  it    is    not  an  officer  in  command 

(3) 


4  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  llhct.  i. 

The  order,  "  Go  ye,"  is  a  standing  order,  no 
less  urgent  now  than  when  the  risen  Lord 
first  pronounced  it.  As  regards  the  obHga- 
tion  of  personal  service  among  the  heathen, 
is  it  not  then  for  each  minister  who  remains 
at  home  to  show  good  reason  why  he  is 
not  in  the  foreign  field  ?  One  of  the  most 
impressive  short  sentences  to  which  I  ever 
listened  was  from  the  saintly  Dr.  Calhoun 
of  Syria.  Giving  an  account  of  the  mental 
process  by  which  he  came  to  a  decision, 
he  said,  "Somebody  must  go;  I  must  go." 
Sanctified  logic ! 

EVERY    MINISTER    A    MISSIONARY. 

Whoever  in  the  sacred  office  remains  at 
home  is  on  this  account  none  the  less  held 
to  service  in  the  general  cause.  Stationed 
at  the  base  of  supplies,  he  may  never  remit 
a  strenuous  activity,  since  that  which  made 
Paul  debtor  both  to  Greeks  and  to  barba- 
rians, both  to  the  wise  and  to  the  foolish, 
makes  the  minister  of  today  a  debtor  to 
them.    Be  his  immediate  field  where  it  may, 


LECT.i.]  INDIFFERENCE    TO    BE    MET.  5 

his  ear  is  criminally  dull  if  not  quick  to  catch 
the  cry  from  that  larger  parish,  the  other 
side  of  the  ^gean,  "  Come  over  and  help 
us."  Dull  indeed  is  he  if  this  lesson  has 
not  been  so  learned  as  never  to  be  out 
of  mind,  that  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling 
the  world,  the  world  unto  himself,  and  has 
committed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation. 
Alas  for  him  if  he  knows  not  the  blessed- 
ness of  sowing  beside  all  w^aters,  by  prayer 
at  least,  and  by  training  others  as  laborers. 

INDIFFERENCE    TO    BE    MET. 

Criticism  and  want  of  sympathy  among 
the  people  of  one's  charge,  so  far  from  being 
a  reason  for  silence,  is  only  an  argument  for 
greater  earnestness.  Never  does  a  Paul 
preach  but  there  is  a  Tertullus  to  impugn ; 
never  a  special  gift  to  Christ,  but  some  one 
asks, "  Wherefore  this  waste  ?  "  Wherever  the 
good  seed  is  sown,  an  enemy  will  cast  in 
tares  also.  Hindrance  may  come  from  men 
of  one's  own  calling.  When,  in  1796,  an 
overture  in  behalf  of  foreign  missions  was 


O  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lhct.  » 

laid  before  the  General  Assembly  of  Scot- 
land, Mr.  Hamilton,  minister  of  Gladsmuir, 
argued  that  "  to  spread  abroad  the  knowledge 
of  the  gospel  among  the  barbarous  and 
heathen  nations  seems  to  be  highly  prepos- 
terous." Regarding  the  proposal  that  a 
collection  should  be  made  in  behalf  of  for- 
eign missions,  he  declared:  "For  such  im- 
proper conduct  censure  is  too  small  a  mark 
of  disapprobation ;  it  would  no  doubt  be  a 
legal  subject  of  penal  prosecution." '  That 
was  the  very  nadir  of  an  anti-missionary  spirit. 
It  was  toward  the  zenith  that  Gossner  had 
risen,  when  (in  1844)  he  said  in  Berlin  to 
young  men  starting  for  India,  "  Up,  up,  my 
brethren !  The  Lord  is  coming,  and  to 
every  one  he  will  say,  'Where  hast  thou  left 
the  souls  of  those  heathen  ?  With  the 
devil  ? '  Oh,  swiftly  seek  those  souls,  and 
enter  not  without  them  into  the  presence  of 
the   Lord."''     In    no  man  does  God   reveal 


*  Robert  Hunter.      History  of  the  Missions  of  the  Free  Church 
of  Scotland.     London,  1873.     I^age  5. 

^  Proc/utow^s  Pastor  Gossner,  His  I^ife,  Labors,  and  Persecu- 
tions.    London. 


UBCT.  I.]  INDIFFERENCE    TO    BE    MET.  7 

his  Son  merely  that  he  may  be  himself  saved 
or  that  he  may  preach  salvation  only  to 
those  near  at  hand,  but  that  indirectly  at 
least  he  may  preach  among  the  Gentiles  far 
away.  Hence  no  man  can  fulfill  his  ministry 
short  of  an  abiding  effort  in  behalf  of  the 
largest  practicable  number  of  heathen.  If 
it  is  a  great  thing  to  be  able  to  say  to 
one's  immediate  congregation,  "  Wherefore 
I  testify  unto  you  this  day  that  I  am  pure 
from  the  blood  of  all  men,"  it  is  a  far  greater 
thing  to  call  the  unevangelized  world  thus 
to  witness.  Men  may  praise  for  half  of 
duty  done,  while  God  condemns  for  the  other 
half  neglected.  It  was  waking  up  to  a 
momentous  reality  when  Dr.  William  Arm- 
strong, in  the  midst  of  the  assembled  min- 
isters and  churches  of  Richmond,  Virginia, 
said  (1833):  "My  brethren,  I  am  ashamed 
that  there  are  so  many  of  us  here  in  this 
Christian  land.  We  must  go  to  the  hea- 
then." '    With  all  the  pressing  demands  at 

*  Hollis  Read.      Memoir  and   Sermons   of   Rev.   W.  J.  Arm- 
strong.   New  York,  1853.     Page  57. 


8  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lbct.  i. 

home,  we  may  well  hang  our  heads  that  so 
little  is  done  for  nations  sitting  in  utter  dark- 
ness. No  people  and  no  ministry  on  earth 
have  a  larger  stewardship  than  ours ;  and  is 
it  not  required  of  the  spiritual  overseer  that 
he  be  blameless  as  God's  steward;  that  he 
beware  of  embezzlement  ?  Situated  as  we 
are  between  two  oceans,  with  a  habit  of 
eager  enterprise,  with  commercial  connec- 
tions throughout  the  globe,  with  no  entang- 
ling foreign  alliances,  blessed  with  a  goodly 
heritage  and  ample  means,  it  is  particularly 
obvious  that  we  should  remember  the  field 
is  the  world.  "  You  are  the  advance  guard 
of  the  human  race,"  said  Madame  de  Stael 
to  one  of  our  citizens;  "you  are  the  future 
of  the  world."  '  Would  that  every  preacher 
in  the  land  might  rise  to  the  sublime  con- 
ception of  John  Wesley :  "  The  world  is  my 
parish." 


*  Vous  6tes  I'avant  garde  du  genre  humain;  vous  €tes  I'avenir 
du  monde.     Life  and  Journals  of  Geoi-ge  Ticknor,  i,  133. 


LECT.  I.]    EARLIER  PROFESSIONAL  TREATISES. 


EARLIER    PROFESSIONAL    TREATISES. 

The  question  will  naturally  arise,  has  this 
subject  due  place  in  professional  works  ? 
We  go  back  to  the  earliest  times.  We  take 
up  Chry  SOS  torn  on  the  Priesthood,  reckoned 
one  of  the  best  among  his  own  writings,  and 
one  of  the  more  valuable  writino;s  of  that 
period.  It  hails  from  the  fourth  century, 
and  has  appeared  in  numerous  editions  and 
translations  into  modern  languages.  The 
work  is  in  the  form  of  a  dialogue,  and  con- 
tains an  apology  for  declining  ecclesiastical 
honors  himself  and  for  entrapping  his  friend 
Basil  into  promotion.  It  might  be  expected 
that  Chrysostom,  the  most  eminent  preacher 
of  the  Greek  Church,  would  not  omit  all 
mention  of  evangelistic  duties  to  the  heathen. 
One  or  two  passages  seem  to  look  in  that 
direction.  But  though  he  showed  an  inter- 
est in  wandering  Scythian  tribes  on  the 
banks  of  the  Danube  and  in  behalf  of  the 
Phoenicians,  he  had  a  strong  leaning  to  mo- 


lO  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

nasticism,  and  there  is  no  sufficient  reason 
for  supposing  that  our  author  contemplated 
any  broad  interpretation  of  the  word  neigh- 
bor.' 

We  must  now  take  a  long  stride.  I  do 
not  say  that  in  the  ten  or  twelve  centuries 
after  Chrysostom  no  work  on  the  pastoral 
office  appeared,  in  which  Christ's  parting 
command  received  due  attention ;  but  I  have 
not.  been  able  to  find  one.  And  when  we 
reach  the  period  of  the  Reformation,  'it  is  a 
notable  fact  that  the  treatise  doing  most  of 
justice  to  foreign  evangelism  came  from  the 
pen  of  Erasmus,  the  brilliant  scholar,  the 
vacillating  man,  a  man  utterly  deficient  in 
moral  earnestness ;  and  that  it  was  one  of 
the  last  of  his  numerous  productions  (1535) 
written  after  he  had  broken  with  the  Re- 
formers, contradicting  many  of  his  former 
utterances,  and  pronouncing  the  Reformation 
a  calamity  and  a  crime.  The  first  of  the 
four  books  into  which  the  work  is  divided 

*  Epistolse  Nicolo  Gerontio  Phoeniciae  preb.  et  Monachis 
(anno  405) .     Rufino  (anno  406). 


LECT.  I.]  MODERN  TREATISES.  I  I 

devotes  three  chapters  to  this  subject. '  In 
the  next  century,  the  seventeenth,  we  take  it 
for  granted  that  the  earnest  Spener,  when 
he  treats  of  ministerial  education,^  will  have 
a  word  at  least  on  clerical  duties  to  the 
heathen;  and  that  in  the  eighteenth  century 
Franke  ^  will  not  fail  of  the  same  ;  but  we 
are  disappointed. 

MODERN    TREATISES. 

The  earliest  work  in  the  English  language 
on  homiletics,  with  some  reference  to  pas- 
toral life,  containing  also  a  bibliography  of 
subjects  and  an  Index  Rerum,  was  by  Bishop 
Wilkins^  (1646).  It  opens  a  long  line  of 
literature  in  that  department,  yet  with  the 
traditional    silence    touching   duties    to    un- 


^  Desiderius  Erasmus.  Ecclesiastes  sive  de  ratione  concion- 
andi.  Reseat.  Fredericus  Augustus  Klein,  Lipsiae,  MDCCCXX. 
Chapters  Ixii-lxiv. 

^  Fkil.  Jac.  Sperier.  Pia  Desideria  Francofurti  ad  Maenum, 
167S.     Educatio  et  formatio  ministrorum  academica,  pp.  123,  124. 

^August  Hermann  Frattke.  Monita  Pastoraiia  Theologica; 
Oder  Theologische  Erinnerungen  und  Vorschlage.     Halle,  17 18. 

*  John  Wilkins  (1614-1672),  Bishop  of  Chester.  Ecclesi- 
astes, or  a  Discourse  Concerning  the  Gift  of  Preaching. 


12  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

evangelized  nations.  At  no  great  interval 
appeared  (1652)  Herbert's  inimitable  Country 
Parson,^  the  first  sentence  of  which  reads : 
"  A  pastor  is  the  deputy  of  Christ,  for  the 
redeeming  of  man  to  the  obedience  of  God  " 
—  striking,  truthful,  and  having  a  breadth 
which  leads  one  to  look  though  in  vain  for 
tokens  of  interest  beyond  the  limits  of  a 
rural  parish.  Almost  simultaneously  came 
Baxters  Reformed  Pastor  ""  (1656),  an  invalu- 
able work.  Knowing  what  interest  he  took 
in  efforts  to  Christianize  the  Indians  of  this 
country ;  knowing  that  he  came  into  intimate 
correspondence  with  Eliot,  Norton,  Governor 
Endicott,  and  others  who  were  devoted  to 
that  good  work,  we  naturally  look  for  an 
exhortation  to  ministers  touching  the  claims 
of  the  heathen.  But  while  Baxter  had  a 
true  missionary  spirit,  and  while  in  this  trea- 
tise there  are  passages  which  would  be  per- 

^  George  Herbert,  (i 593-1632.)  A  Priest  to  the  Temple;  or, 
The  Country  Parson. 

^Richard  Baxter.  (1615-1691.)  Gildas  Salvianus,  the 
Reformed  Pastor.  See  Practical  Works  in  23  volumes.  London, 
1830.     Vol.  xiv,  pp.  1-400. 


LECT.  I.]  MODERN    TREATISES.  1 3 

tinent  if  only  a  little  generalized,  yet  the 
foreign  field  does  not  appear  to  have  been  at 
all  in  the  author's  mind  at  the  time  of  writing. 
Bishop  Beveridge,'  who  gained  the  title  of 
"  the  great  reviver  and  restorer  of  primitive 
piety,"  left  the  larger  part  of  his  estate  to  two 
societies,  then  in  their  infancy  —  that  for 
propagating  the  gospel  in  foreign  parts,  and 
that  for  promoting  Christian  knowledge ;  yet 
his  sermons  on  the  ministry  are  noticeably 
silent  touching  foreign  evangelization.  And 
how  is  it  with  Bishop  Burnet,  himself  an 
illustration  of  his  own  precepts ;  with  John 
Edwards;  with  Mather  —  the  runninor  title 
to  a  work  of  his  being  "  The  angels  prepar- 
ing to  sound  the  trumpet,"  the  first  work  of 
the  kind  produced  in  this  country,  as  that  by 
Bishop  Wilkins  was  the  first  in  England  .f* 
How  is  it  with  Jennings,  a  tutor  to  Dod- 
dridge ;  Orton,  a  pupil  of  Doddridge,  who 
was   invited  to  succeed  him    in    charge   of 

*  Williaju  Beveridge  (1636-1708),  Lord  Bishop  of  Asaph. 
Sermons  on  the  Ministry  and  Ordinances  of  the  Church  of 
England. 


14  THE    minister's    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 


the  theological  school  ?  How  is  it  with  Ma- 
son, Campbell,  Smith,  Gerhard,  and  Magill  ? 
Silence,  a  sad  silence.  Still  more  singular 
is  the  silence  of  evangelical  writers  who  have 
lived  within  the  present  century,  which  has 
in  some  measure  been  aroused  to  the  claims 
of  a  broader  evangelism  —  as  on  the  Conti- 


nent, Claus  Harms  and  Vinet.  The  same 
is  true  of  various  English  writers,  as  Arthur, 
James,  Blunt,  Bather,  MacLeod,  Fairbairn, 
Parker,  and  Spurgeon ;  also  writers  this  side 
the  Atlantic — Lord,  Humphrey,  Spring, 
Cannon,  Murray,  Wayland,  Kidder,  Sweetzer, 
Tyng,  Hall,  Simpson,  and  Bedell. 

RECENT    IMPROVEMENT. 

But  a  favorable  change  has  begun.  The 
rise  of  so  many  foreign  missionary  societies 
—  not  less  than  one  hundred  within  a  cent- 
ury—  and  of  so  many  kindred  institutions  is 
at  once  an  exponent  and  an  educating  power, 
which  forbid  further  silence  on  the  relation 
of  ministers  to  missions  in  professional  trea- 
tises.    Germany  now,  to  some  degree,  deems 


LKCT.i.]  RECENT    IMPROVEMENT.  1 5 

this  broader  movement  of  modern  times 
entitled  to  a  place  in  pastoral  theology.  As 
might  be  expected,  the  Moravian  Church 
took  the  lead.  From  the  records  of  the 
Preachers'  Conference,  which  has  been  held 
regularly  at  Herrnhut  since  1754,  extracts 
designed  specially  for  the  home  ministry 
were  once  compiled,  and  the  very  first  sen- 
tence reads :  "  To  deliver  the  heathen  from 
the  worship  of  idols  and  false  gods  may 
be  compared  with  the  deliverance  of  Israel 
out  of  Egypt."  Burk  devotes  five  chapters 
to  prominent  missionaries  and  preachers 
who  have  made  the  pulpit  contribute  to 
this  good  cause.  Within  the  last  fifty  years 
here  and  there  some  professor  at  a  German 
university  has  given  attention  to  the  subject. 
From  Ehrenfeuchter,  late  of  Gottingen,  we 
have  a  volume  on  practical  theology  in  which 
gospel  promulgation  occupies  a  conspicuous 
place.  Stier,  author  of  The  Words  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  who  had  been  a  teacher  in  the 
missionary  institution  at  Basle,  shows  that 
the    preaching   of    the   gospel    among   the 


1 6  THE    minister's    SPHERE.  [lhct.  i. 

heathen  nations  is  entitled  to  extended  men- 
tion, and  more  recently  (1878)  Van  Ooster- 
zee  in  his  Practical  Theology  has  given  a 
considerable  space  (pp.  588-601)  to  "  hal- 
ieutics,"  a  term  which  suggests  primitive 
evangelism  and  which  has  nov^^  obtained  a 
recognized  place  in  the  terminology  of  theo- 
logical science.  This  author  remarks : '  "It 
is  a  sin  on  the  part  of  any  Christian  not  to 
be  a  friend  of  missions.  Most  of  all  is  it  to 
be  expected  of  the  pastor  and  teacher  that 
he  shall  have  a  heart  for  them  and  therefore 
also  put  forth  a  hand  to  their  boundless 
task."  English  writers  have  begun  to  take 
some  notice,  though  inadequately,  of  foreign 
missions  in  treatises  on  ministerial  duties. 
Thus  Bridges  in  his  work  on  the  ministry 
has  a  few  words.  Dr.  Dale  in  a  recent  work 
makes  just  a  passing  allusion.  James  Stew- 
art Wilson  shows  more  breadth. 

In  our  own  country  a  gradual  gain  in  this 
direction   is  evident,  as  may  be  seen   in  a 

» §  Ixvi,  3. 


LBCT.i.]  RECENT    IMPROVEMENT.  I^ 

work  by  Stevens.'  Among  the  subjects  not 
usually  embraced  in  practical  divinity  and 
yet  appropriate  to  the  pulpit  he  names 
"  Sunday-schools,  missions,  tract  and  Bible 
societies.  The  pastor,  especially  the  'sta- 
tioned '  pastor,  should  make  himself  familiar 
not  merely  with  the  general  character  of 
these  enterprises  but  with  their  leading  data, 
if  not  their  details,  at  least  so  far  as  they  are 
connected  with  his  own  denomination ;  not 
vague  declam.ation  will  suffice  for  them  — 
he  can  show  their  substantial  value  only 
by  substantial  facts."  Dr.  Pond  devotes  a 
chapter  to  charitable  objects,  and  remarks :  ^ 
*'  The  first  duty  of  the  pastor  in  regard  to 
the  religious  enterprises  of  the  day  is  mani- 
festly this  —  to  know  what  they  are  and  to 
keep  himself  adequately  informed  respecting 
them.  And  he  must  not  only  know  what 
these  enterprises  are,  but  he  must  feel  (what, 


^  Abel  Stevens.     Essays   on   the    Preaching  Required  by  the 
Times.     New  York,  1856.     Page  175. 

^  Enoch.   Pond.     Lectures   on  Pastoral  Theology.      Andover, 
1866.     Lee.  viii,  239-252. 


1 8  THE    minister's    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

if  he  is  a  pious  man,  he  can  hardly  help  feel- 
ing) a  deep  and  absorbing  interest  in  them. 
They  must  not  only  occupy  his  thoughts, 
but  enlist  his  affections.  He  must  love 
them  as  his  own;  and  to  watch  over  them 
and  provide  for  them  should  be  regarded  as 
an  important  part  of  his  business  for  life." 
"  He  will  make  these  various  enterprises 
the  subject  of  much  reading,  reflection,  and 
conversation  among  his  people.  And  he 
will  not  only  read  himself,  but  stir  up  others 
to  read ;  putting  suitable  books  and  papers 
into  their  hands,  and  taking  pains  to  cir- 
culate missionary  intelligence  and  useful 
publications.  He  will  devote  time  to  this 
and  kindred  objects,  and  set  an  example 
before  his  people  of  liberality  in  his  contri- 
butions." 

Dr.  Plumer  says : '  "  Open  your  ears  and 
hear  the  distant  though  distinct  and  deafen- 
ing cry  coming  from  hundreds  of  millions  of 


*  William  S.  Plumer.      Hints   and    Helps   in    Pastoral   The- 
ology.    New  York,  1S74.     Chap,  xxviii,  pp.  308-362. 


LBCT.  I.]  POSITION    OF   THE    PASTOR.  1 9 

earth's  population,  as  they  are  sinking  to  an 
eternal  hell  and  saying, '  Oh  !  give  us  a  book 
and  send  us  a  teacher  that  can  tell  us  how 
our  immortality  may  prove  a  blessing,  our 
existence  tolerable.' "  Dr.  Murphy's  work 
has  a  chapter  entitled  "  The  Pastor  in  the 
Benevolent  Work  of  the  Church,"  which 
contains  a  reference  to  this  subject.  Pro- 
fessor Harvey,  under  the  head  of  "  Cultiva- 
tion of  the  Missionary  Spirit,"  remarks  :  "  A 
pastor  who  fails  in  this  is  failing  at  once  to 
make  his  church  a  power  for  Christ  in  the 
world,  and  to  secure  w^ithin  it  the  fullness  of 
life  which  Christ  intended  it  should  possess." 
One  of  the  more  recent  works  in  this  de- 
partment—  the  last  edition  of  that  by  Pro- 
fessor Hoppin  —  is  noticeably  full,  giving 
thirty  pages  to  foreign  missions.' 

POSITION    OF    THE    PASTOR. 

Though  a  mere  truism  and  a  repetition, 
yet  be  it  emphasized,  ministers  are  church 
educators.     They  are  among  the  leaders  of 

*  Appendix,  note  i. 


20  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lhct.  i. 

thought,  and  it  Is  incumbent  on  them  to  be 
fully  possessed  with  the  true  idea  of  the 
church's  ofhce  as  well  as  of  their  own  obli- 
gations. Our  Lord's  parable  of  the  wicked 
husbandman  was  aimed  at  a  derelict  priest- 
hood. The  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  per- 
ceived that  he  spake  of  them.  Yes,  the 
great  proprietor  of  earth  has  planted  a  vine- 
yard in  the  midst  of  his  domain  and  with 
reference  to  bringing  the  whole  wide  field 
under  cultivation.  Opposition,  disregard  of 
his  claim,  want  of  fidelity  to  their  high 
trust  on  the  part  of  vine-dressers,  bring  a 
sore  calamity.  The  parable  of  the  unfaithful 
steward  also  has  a  lesson  for  the  Christian 
ministry.  Mere  neglect  of  opportunities  by 
ordained  commissioners,  omission  to  make 
the  most  of  goods  intrusted  for  the  owner's 
benefit,  who  evermore  has  in  mind  the  wid- 
est good  of  mankind,  merit  a  forfeiture  of 
office.  The  tact  of  the  unscrupulous  may 
well  admonish.  Though  their  want  of  prin- 
ciple is  to  be  condemned,  worldly  men,  in 
the  matter  of  foresight,  manage  better  than 


LECT.i.]  POSITION    OF    THE    PASTOR.  21 

the  sons  of  the  light.  A  great  failure  it  is 
if  evangelical  preachers  do  not  lay  them- 
selves out  most  earnestly  for  their  own 
future  good  and  that  of  their  people  by  indi- 
rectly enlisting  friends  among  converts  from 
heathenism,  who  shall  receive  them  into 
the  eternal  tabernacles.  Never  can  I  for- 
get overhearing,  some  two  score  years  ago, 
Choctaw  Christians  praying  for  their  "  supe- 
rior friends  at  the  North,  who  had  sent 
them  the  good  news  of  salvation"  —  so  the 
listening  missionary  interpreted  to  me.  Do 
not  such  prayers  help  on  toward  the  eternal 
tabernacles  ?  Nor  shall  I  soon  forget  my 
introduction  to  a  thoughtful  member  of  that 
tribe,  who  had  been  deeply  interested  in  a 
secretary  of  the  American  Board  of  Mis- 
sions '  on  his  earlier  visit.  The  man,  not 
having  a  good  view  of  the  revered  stranger, 
came  up  at  the  close  of  the  service,  turned 
him  round  to  the  light,  saying,  "  I  want  to 
see  your  face  so  that  I  may  know    you  at 

» Rev.  S.  B.  Treat. 


22  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

the  resurrection."  Called  home  before  that 
distinguished  visitor,  was  he  not  waiting  to 
receive  him  into  the  eternal  tabernacles  ? 
A  missionary  in  India  went  one  Sabbath 
evening  to  the  death-bed  of  a  convert.  "  I 
understand,"  said  the  sufferer,  "  that  you 
have  been  preaching  today  about  heaven. 
Tomorrow  I  shall  be  in  heaven,  and  I  shall 
go  right  to  the  Saviour  and  thank  him  for 
leading  you  to  leave  your  home  in  a  Chris- 
tian land  to  come  and  tell  us  poor  darkened 
heathens  about  him  and  the  way  to  heaven. 
Then  I  shall  go  and  sit  down  by  the  pearly 
gate  and  wait  till  you  come.  Then  I  shall 
take  you  by  the  hand  and  lead  you  to  the 
Saviour,  and  tell  him,  '  This  is  the  man  that 
taught  me  the  way  to  this  happy  world.'" 
Not  only  in  view  of  other  considerations,  but 
also  in  view  of  meeting  redeemed  heathen 
in  heaven,  may  every  pastor  well  cherish  an 
interest  in  the  foreign  work.  It  devolves 
upon  him  to  see  to  it  that  his  flock  is  prac- 
tically a  mission  band,  an  all-embracing  so- 
ciety of  inquiry  on  the  subject  of  place,  ways, 


LECT.  I.]  POSITION    OF    THE    PASTOR.  23 

and  means  of  discharging  that  duty.'  Pro- 
fessional aims  restricted  to  purely  neighbor- 
ing objects  is  like  a  biblical  theology  or  a 
Christian  experience  built  upon  a  few  pet 
texts,  which  is  sure  to  be  dwarfed  and  one- 
sided. Voltaire's  definition  of  an  educated 
man  will  serve  for  an  educated  minister: 
"  One  who  is  not  satisfied  to  survey  the 
universe  from  his  parish  belfry."  What 
though  the  home  pastor's  forte  be  dogmatic 
theology  or  speculative  philosophy;  what 
though  he  lay  thinking  men  under  obliga- 
tion by  his  keen  analysis.^  Bishop  Berkeley, 
the  ideal  metaphysician,  after  elaborately 
affirming  that  there  is  no  proof  of  the  exist- 
ence of  matter  except  in  our  perceptions,  at 
length  published  (1725)  a  Proposal  for  Cotz- 
verting  the  Savage  Americans  to  Christianity^ 
raised  money  and  sailed  for  Rhode  Island 
(1728),  designing  to  establish  a  college  in 
aid  of  the  cause  of  missions.  It  was  Dr. 
Edward  Williams  of  the  Independent  Acad- 

^  Appendix,  note  2. 


24  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

emy  at  Rotherham,  a  cool,  hard-working 
theologian,  who  in  1793  addressed  a  circu- 
lar letter  to  the  ministers  of  Warwickshire 
which  kindled  a  glow  in  the  churches,  and 
led  to  missionary  efforts  and  benevolent 
societies  that  are  now  an  honor  to  English 
Congregationalists. 

HUMBLE    SPHERE,    WIDE    INFLUENCE. 

The  question  of  a  personal  call  to  mis- 
sionary work,  technically  so  named,  whether 
at  home  or  elsewhere,  is  not  now  under 
discussion;  but  the  subject  of  devotion  to 
the  church's  comprehensive  enterprise  which 
everywhere  is  one,  reclaiming  the  human 
race  to  God.  The  subject  of  far-reaching- 
aims  and  munificent  desires  is  before  us. 
One's  sphere  is  not  the  chief  thing.  No 
man  largely  taught  of  God,  whatever  his 
locality,  will  feel  that  he  has  a  small  parish. 
Is  any  parochial  sphere  too  obscure  to  be- 
come the  birthplace  of  noble  thoughts  and 
prevailing  prayer  ?  May  not  great  principles 
have   scope    in   small   places   and  amidst  a 


LECT.i]    HUMBLE  SPHERE,  WIDE  INFLUENCE.         25 

narrow  routine?  Cannot  humblest  duties 
be  performed  from  the  highest  motives? 
Does  not  the  same  gravitating  power  deter- 
mine the  form  of  a  dewdrop  and  of  the 
globe  we  inhabit?  What  better  proof  of 
generalship  is  there  than  for  a  Gustavus 
Adolphus  or  a  Washington  to  make  his 
small  army  do  the  work  of  a  large  one  ? 
Zorah  was  not  a  place  of  much  importance 
in  the  little  tribe  of  Dan,  and  Eshtaol  was 
of  still  less  importance;  but  in  connection 
with  the  mighty  Nazarite  they  fill  a  page  of 
history.  It  was  there  that  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  began  to  move  him  at  times.  Many 
a  village  has  a  strong  man  in  the  person  of 
its  pastor,  whom  the  adorable  Spirit  fires 
with  holy  aspirations,  and  in  due  time  he  is 
seen  bearing  away  the  gates  of  Gaza.  Wil- 
liam Carey's  first  settlement  was  in  an 
obscure  hamlet,  where  the  people  were  so 
poor  as  to  be  able  to  do  almost  nothing 
toward  his  support,  and  where  he  was  com- 
pelled to  work  at  a  humble  trade  in  order  to 
eke   out  a  livelihood  for  his  family.     "  The- 


26  THE    minister's    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

origin  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society," 
says  Andrew  Fuller,  "  will  be  found  in  the 
workings  of  our  brother  Carey's  mind,  which 
for  the  last  nine  or  ten  years  has  been 
directed  to  this  object  with  very  little  inter- 
mission." That  is  the  man,  ranking  at 
length  high  in  the  scholarship,  and  higher 
in  the  philanthropy  of  this  century,  whom 
Sydney  Smith,  jealous  for  the  rights  of 
Hinduism,  ridiculed  as  the  "  sanctified  cob- 
bler." The  clerical  wit  would  not  have 
dared  to  fling  at  Bloomfield,  or  Gifford,  or 
Allan  Cunningham,  or  Admiral  Sir  Clouds- 
ley  Shovel,  that  they  were  shoemakers  in 
early  life ;  nor  would  he  have  risked  his 
reputation  by  hinting  it  as  a  reproach  that 
Jacob  Bohme,  the  German  mystic,  and  Hans 
Sachs,  the  poet  of  Nuremberg,  or  our  Roger 
Sherman  and  Nathaniel  Bowditch,  began 
life  as  sons  of  Crispin.  A  random  shot  of 
that  kind  finds  its  way  back  to  certain  tent- 
makers  and  fishermen  of  old  ;  yes,  strikes  a 
mansfer  at  Bethlehem.  But  thou  Bethlehem 
Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the 


LECT.  I.J  PAROCHIAL    BENEFITS.  27 

thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he 
come  forth  unto  me  that  is  to  be  ruler  in 
Israel.  There  is  one  small  town  in  the 
State  of  Connecticut  which  has  trained  five 
governors  of  the  Commonwealth.'  The  civ- 
ilized world  is  studded  with  localities  insig- 
nificant in  themselves,  which  have  been 
immortalized  by  the  force  of  individual 
minds  or  individual  piety. 

PAROCHIAL    BENEFITS. 

Certain  distinct  benefits  will  accrue  to 
one's  congregation  from  a  pastor's  interest 
in  this  great  cause.  And  here  I  will  not 
detain  you  by  presenting  arguments  and 
opinions  of  my  own.  I  give  you  a  judgment 
carrying  far  more  weight,  that  of  Dr.  Samuel 
Miller,  formerly  professor  in  the  theological 
seminary  at  Princeton.  "  If  I  were  asked," 
he  writes,  "how  a  church,  however  small  or 
poor,  would  be  most  likely  to  rise  and  grow; 
what  would  be  the  surest  means  of  attaining 

^  Appendix,  note  3. 


28  THE    minister's    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

edification  and  strength,  I  would  say  with 
confidence,  let  it  begin  in  good  earnest  to 
pray  and  exert  itself  for  sending  the  gospel 
to  the  benighted  and  perishing.  However 
small  its  strength,  let  it  rouse  that  little, 
such  as  it  is,  and  engage  with  fervent  prayer 
and  with  heartfelt  love  for  souls,  in  contrib- 
uting to  the  Lord's  treasury,  and  the  very 
effort  would  tend  to  enlarge  and  build  it 
up."  ^ 

But  this  is  not  a  matter  of  mere  proba- 
bility. Facts  confirm  it.  "  There  was  a 
period  of  my  ministry,"  said  Andrew  Fuller, 
"marked  by  the  most  pointed  systematic 
effort  to  comfort  my  serious  people ;  but  the 
more  I  tried  to  comfort  them,  the  more  they 
complained  of  doubts  and  darkness.  ...  I 
knew  not  what  to  do  nor  what  to  think ;  for 
I  had  done  my  best  to  comfort  the  mourners 
in  Zion.  At  this  time  it  pleased  G^d  to 
direct    my   attention    to  the    claims  of -'the 


*  Letters  on  the  Observance  of  the  Monthly  Concert.     Phila- 
delphia, 1845.     Letter  iii. 


LKCT.i.]  PAROCHIAL    BENEFITS.  29 

perishing  heathen  In  India.  I  felt  that  we 
had  been  living  for  ourselves  and  not  caring 
for  their  souls.  I  spoke  as  I  felt.  My 
serious  people  wondered  and  wept  over  their 
past  inattention  to  the  subject.  They  began 
to  talk  about  a  Baptist  mission.  The  fe- 
males especially  began  to  collect  money  for 
the  spread  of  the  gospel.  We  met  and 
prayed  for  the  heathen  ;  met  and  considered 
what  could  be  done  amongst  ourselves  for 
them  ;  met  and  did  what  we  could.  And 
whilst  all  this  was  going  on,  the  lamenta- 
tions ceased.  The  sad  became  cheerful, 
and  the  despairing  calm.  No  one  com- 
plained of  a  want  of  comfort.  And  I,  in- 
stead of  having  to  study  how  to  comfort 
my  flock,  was  myself  comforted  by  them. 
They  v/ere  drawn  out  of  themselves,  sir; 
that  was  the  real  secret.  God  blessed  them 
while  they  tried  to  be  a  blessing."  Com- 
ment is  uncalled  for.  Dr.  Somerville,  of  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church,  gave  as  the 
result  of  his  observation  in  Scotland :  "  My 
official  position  for  so  many  years  as  foreign 


30  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

secretary,  and  the  visits  which  during  that 
time  I  paid  to  several  places,  gave  me  fitting 
opportunity  for  observing  the  state  of  mat- 
ters, and  I  often  said  that  I  scarcely  knew  a 
congregation  favored  with  a  minister  who 
took  an  active  part  in  mission  work,  that 
was  not  prosperous." ' 

REACTION    UPON    PASTORS. 

One  point  in  a  minister's  personal  expe- 
rience is  thus  suggested  —  the  intellectual 
and  spiritual  benefit  of  broad  Christian  sym- 
pathies. As  for  a  congregation,  so  for  an 
individual,  to  limit  religious  thought  and 
effort  to  one's  self  will  result  in  a  feeble  or 
a  morbid  piety.  Far  be  it  from  me  to  dis- 
courage self-examination,  a  careful  scrutiny 
of  heart,  in  due  measure,  of  which  there 
seems  to  be  less  now  than  formerly,  and  far 
too  little  for  a  deep,  intelligent,  well-ordered 
spiritual  life.  In  Florida  the  live-oak,  an 
evergreen,  attains  by  slow  growth  to  noble 

*  Andrew  Somei'ville.  Lectures  on  Missions.  Edinburgh, 
1874.     ^'age  139. 


LECT.  I.]  REACTION    UPON    PASTORS.  3 1 

dimensions,  but  has  roots  under  ground 
corresponding  to  the  large  branches  that 
stretch  out  nearly  horizontal,  and  which 
are  of  great  value  in  ship-building.  So  all 
religious  character  that  has  capacity  for 
an  enduring  and  far-reaching  service  must 
be  sustained  by  sources  out  of  sight.  Not 
otherwise  will  vigor,  attractive  dignity,  and 
cheerful  gravity  be  attained.  To  enlarge 
one's  horizon ;  to  look  away  from  what 
is  personal  and  private;  to  enter  into  an 
appreciative  communion  with  our  Lord 
Jesus  in  the  vastness  of  his  reign  of 
grace,  is  most  helpful  reflexively.  Only 
when  mercy  unto  generations  and  genera- 
tions comes  before  the  mind  does  Mary  sing 
her  Alagiiificat ;  only  on  a  mountain  top 
does  transfiguration  take  place.  In  India 
Bishop  Wilson  made  this  memorandum :  '*  I 
rose  up  a  little  into  general  truths,  felt  the 
immensity  of  the  spiritual  work  before  me, 
and  lost  sight  of  the  petty  microscopic  diffi- 
culties  of  this  lower  world.  I  have  found 
alv.^ays  throughout  life  the  great  benefit  of 


32  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lect.  i 

generalizing  and  abstracting  at  times,  and 
ascending  into  the  heavens,  as  it  were,  with 
Christ." '  The  educational  influence  of  a 
great  idea,  of  a  high  and  holy  motive,  is 
wonderful.  To  exorcise  the  demon  of  un- 
christian littleness  so  common,  ministers 
need  to  train  themselves  systematically  to 
ever  broadening  views  and  nobler  aspira- 
tions ;  need  to  realize  that,  as  Chrysostom 
puts  it,  they  are  God's  chosen  athletes  of 
the  universe.  One  reason  why  our  home 
missionaries  as  a  body  have  so  much  breadth 
of  character,  are  toiling  so  hard  and  so  suc- 
cessfully, is  that  they  were  for  the  most  part 
trained  at  institutions  where  expansive  sym- 
pathies are  cherished,  and  where  the  outlook 
is  confined  neither  to  Judah  nor  to  Israel 
alone.  One  of  them  in  Oregon,  possessed 
of  the  true  idea,  wrote :  "  Our  purpose  is  to 
begin  to  feel  and  act  for  the  world,  and  then 
we  shall  be  aroused  to  act  for  our  country 


*  Daniel    Wilson.     Journals   and    Letters.      (May   22,    1823.) 
Page  80. 


LECT.  I.]  EVANGELISTIC    ENTHUSIASM.  2)3 

and  for  ourselves.  He  who  works  well  in 
the  gospel  must  work  on  the  world  plan  of 
the  gospel." '  The  immediate  missionary 
labor  of  Samuel  J.  Mills  was  chiefly  at  home. 
He  preached  the  first  Protestant  sermon 
ever  heard  beyond  the  Mississippi,  but  his 
desires  and  faith  encircled  the  globe.  It 
was  a  sacred  fire  in  his  bones  that  made 
him  write :  "  I  intend,  God  willing,  the  little 
influence  I  have  shall  be  felt  in  every  State 
in  the  Union  ;  and  I  should  be  very  sorry  to 
have  it  confined  either  by  the  Lakes  or  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  the  Atlantic  or  the  Missis- 
sippi." 

EVANGELISTIC    ENTHUSIASM. 

Grand  results  imply  broad  views.  Men 
who  make  the  most  of  themselves,  who  make 
their  mark  upon  society  by  immediate  per- 
sonal labor  and  by  moving  others  to  Chris- 
tian effort,  are  men  who  see  farther  and  have 
deeper  convictions  than  their  neighbors ; 
who   comprehend    more  fully   the   scope  of 

*  Seelye's  Christian  Missions,  page  ii8. 


34  THE    MINISTERS    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

the  church,  the  requirements  and  possibili- 
ties of  their  own  position,  and  who  have  a 
will  invigorated  by  the  word  and  grace  of 
God.  Would  that  a  well-balanced  enthusi- 
asm might  influence  the  Christian  ministry 
and  its  candidates,  an  heroic  passion  for 
evangelistic  conquests  throughout  the  world, 
such  a  sustained  sentiment  as  springs  from 
vital  union  with  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ! 
Student  or  pastor,  the  man  who  lifteth  up 
the  gates  and  the  king  of  glory  comes  in, 
will  rise  to  a  practical  conception  of  the 
truth  in  its  glorious  breadth,  that  salvation 
is  provided  for  the  world.  Abiding  in 
Christ  is  having  one's  abode  not  merely 
near  him,  not  merely  with  him,  but  in  him 
as  a  member  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh  and  of 
his  bones ;  thinking  as  he  thinks  and  cher- 
ishing aims  broad  as  his.  Can  any  man  see 
very  far  if  not  risen  with  him  who  has  as- 
cended to  his  Father  and  our  Father,  and 
from  that  eminence  is  looking  abroad  upon 
this  whole  planet  .^^  The  man  thus  united 
to  Christ  knows  what  Paul  means :  "  Not  I, 


LECT.  I]  EVANGELISTIC    ENTHUSIASM.  35 

but  Christ  liveth  in  me"  —  I  am  one  with 
him  who  was  straitened  in  spirit  till  the 
accomplishment  of  his  mission ;  one  with 
him  in  his  exceeding  sorrow  of  Gethsemane  ; 
one  with  him  whom  the  cloud  received  out 
of  sight,  who  is  henceforth  expecting  till 
his  enemies  be  made  his  footstool.  To 
such  it  will  seem  unworthy  to  plan  for  any- 
thing less  than  Messiah's  universal  enthrone- 
ment on  earth.  It  is  more  than  a  deep 
conviction  upon  his  conscience  that  he 
ought  to  do  his  utmost  for  the  Messianic 
kingdom  ;  it  has  become  a  spiritual  instinct 
with  him.  The  man  who  shows  no  interest 
in  having  that  reign  extend  from  sea  to  sea 
can  show  no  heaven-derived  commission  to 
preach  the  gospel  at  home.  He  needs  to 
study  the  first  principles  of  fellowship  with 
Christ  in  his  sufferings  for  all,  and  of  Christ's 
supremacy  as  having  respect  to  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth.  "  The  longing  of 
my  heart  would  be,"  said  William  Chalmers 
Burns,  amidst  his  eight  years  of  enthusiastic 
evangelism  at  home  before  going  to  China, 


36  THE    minister's    sphere.  [lect.  I. 

moving  from  town  to  town,  thousands 
crowding  to  hear  him  —  "  the  longing  of  my 
heart  would  be  to  go  once  all  around  the 
world  before  I  die,  and  preach  the  gospel 
invitation  in  the  ear  of  every  creature." 
Listen  to  David  Brainerd  (May  22,  1746):' 
"  Farewell  dear  friends  and  earthly  comforts, 
the  dearest  of  them  all,  the  very  dearest  if  the 
Lord  calls  for  it  —  adieu,  adieu:  I  will  spend 
my  life,  my  latest  moments,  in  caves  and  dens 
of  the  earth,  if  the  kingdom  of  Christ  may 
thereby  be  advanced.  I  found  extraordinary 
freedom  at  this  time  in  pouring  out  my  soul 
to  God  for  his  cause,  and  especially  that  his 
kingdom  might  be  extended  among  the  In- 
dians far  remote ;  and  I  had  a  great  and 
strong  hope  that  God  would  do  it.  I  con- 
tinued wrestling  with  God  in  prayer  for  my 
dear  little  flock  here  and  more  especially  for 
the  Indians  elsewhere,  as  well  as  for  dear 
friends  in  one  place  and  another,  until  it  was 
bed-time,  and  I  feared  I  should  hinder  the 

*  Edwards's  Works,  x,  p.  300. 


LBCT.i.]  EVANGELISTIC    ENTHUSIASM.  37 

family,  etc.  But,  oh,  with  what  reluctancy 
did  I  feel  myself  obliged  to  consume  time  in 
sleep  !  I  longed  to  be  as  a  flame  of  fire, 
continually  glowing  in  the  divine  service, 
and  building  up  Christ's  kingdom  to  my 
latest,  my  dying  moment." 

We  need  Roman  enthusiasm.  The  grav- 
est offense  of  which  a  citizen  could  be  guilty 
was  to  lose  hope  for  the  fortunes  of  his 
country  ;  and  so  long  as  that  spirit  ruled,  the 
commonwealth  could  not  but  prosper.  Let 
Hannibal  encamp  before  her  gate,  the  field 
whereon  his  tents  are  pitched  will  sell  for  no 
less  than  if  the  Carthagenians  were  back 
again  in  Africa.  Because  the  capital  is  in 
his  heart  the  Roman  has  the  w^orld  in  his 
eye.  Roman  Catholic  enthusiasm  is  needed. 
Whatever  abatement  we  make  —  and  large 
abatement  must  be  made  —  from  Bourda- 
loue's  panegyric  of  Xavier,  that  he  preached 
in  fifty-two  kingdoms,  over  more  than  three 
thousand  leagues  of  territory,  and  with  his 
own  hands  baptized  a  million  of  pagans, 
there  was  in  that   man  a  sublime  ardor  of 


38  THE    minister's    SPHERE.  [lect.  i. 

devotion  to  his  work.  Of  noble  family,  and 
from  a  country  where  pride  of  birth  is  pro- 
verbial, he  labored  for  the  humblest  not  less 
than  for  the  highest.  No  perils,  no  priva- 
tions could  daunt  him.  Friends  would  deter 
him  from  sailing  for  Japan,  but  his  answer, 
as  a  German  poet '  has  sung,  is : 

Hush  you !  close  your  dismal  story ! 

What  to  me  are  tempests  wild  ? 
Heroes  on  their  way  to  glory 

Mind  not  pastimes  for  a  child. 
Blow,  ye  winds,  north,  south,  east,  west ! 

'Tis  for  souls  of  men  I'm  sailing. 
And  there's  calm  within  my  breast 

While  the  storm  is  round  me  wailing.* 


*  Frederick  Spee^  seventeenth  century. 

*  Appendix,  note  4. 


LECTURE    II. 

MISSIONARY   OBLIGATION 


MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION. 

That  the  church  on  earth  is  a  militant 
host,  that  her  very  existence  foretokens  con- 
quests for  our  Lord,  is  most  obvious.  While 
an  evangelistic  duty  rests  upon  all  members, 
it  rests  preeminently  upon  those  set  apart  to 
the  sacred  office.  What  Is  an  army  without 
officers?  An  Inefficient  crowd.  Timothy 
was  bidden  to  acquit  himself  as  a  good  sol- 
dier of  Jesus  Christ,  and  all  true  ministers 
are  equally  enrolled  and  marshalled  under 
the  great  King.  The  ministry  is  not  merely 
an  Incidental  demand  of  Christianity,  but 
was  established  by  the  Head  of  the  Church 
as  a  positive  institution  and  for  all  time. 
Preachers  are  commissioned  officers.  Great 
as  are  their  responsibilities  in  any  place  — 
so  great  that  angels  might  well  shrink  from 
them  '  —  yet,  as  appeared  in  the  former  lect- 

*  Onus  humeris  angelicis  formidandum.     Augustine. 

(41) 


42  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  n. 

ure,  no  parish  in  Christendom  represents 
the  whole  of  those  responsibilities.  The 
parish  is  not  for  the  preacher,  but  he  for  the 
parish,  and  both  for  the  world.  The  author- 
ity under  which  every  home  pastor  acts  is, 
Go,  disciple  all  nations. 

The  regal  rights  of  Jesus  Christ  are  based 
upon  his  deity.  Any  lingering  here  In  order 
to  establish  his  co-equal  position  In  the  God- 
head would  be  superfluous.  Holy  Scripture 
teaches  plainly  that  the  Eternal  Word  became 
flesh  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ — deity 
not  transformed  into  man,  nor  man  deified, 
but  that  he  was  and  will  forever  continue  to 
be  both  God  and  man  ;  that  the  Son  was 
preexistent,  and  possessed  of  all  divine  attri- 
butes ;  that  he  was  engaged  in  the  creation 
of  all  things;  that  he  is  co-equally  concerned 
in  the  sustentation  of  all  things ;  and  that  he 
is  entitled  to  supreme  homage.  Of  course 
then  he  shares  in  an  ownership  and  sover- 
eignty that  are  underived,  universal,  and 
indefeasible.' 

*  Known  among  older  writers  as  Regnum  Christi  essentiaU  et 
universale. 


LBCT.ii.]  SPECIAL    PREROGATIVE.  43 


SPECIAL   PREROGATIVE. 

But  there  is  a  specialty  of  dominion  per- 
taining to  him.  Christ's  present,  spiritual 
reign  in  all  renewed  souls,  and  their  union 
with  him  in  an  invisible  commonwealth,  do 
not  express  the  limits  of  his  sway.  To  him 
belongs  a  broader  sovereignty.  He  is,  how- 
ever, king  for  a  special  purpose.  Plenitude 
of  dignity,  power,  and  right  is  his  for  the 
work  of  mediation.  Deity  and  humanity 
centering  in  him,  he  has  been  constituted 
Lord  paramount,  the  ruler  of  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  in  order  that  he  may  carry  on 
to  completion  the  undertaking  begun  in 
his  humiliation.  To  that  result  resurrec- 
tion and  enthronement  were  indispensable. 
Hence  the  Father  of  Glory  raised  him  from 
the  dead,  and  made  him  to  sit  at  his  right 
hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all 
rule,  and  authority,  and  power,  and  dominion, 
and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in 
this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come ; 


44  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect  u 

and  he  put  all  things  in  subjection  under 
his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  head  over  all 
things  to  the  church,  which  is  his  body,  the 
fullness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all.  Here 
then  are  a  right  and  dominion  to  be  contem 
plated,  not  as  due  to  mere  influence  result- 
ing from  superior  knowledge,  wealth,  and 
rank ;  not  as  a  state  of  cosmic  or  any  other 
evolution,  but  as  resulting  from  compact 
and  service.  For  to  this  end  Christ  died 
and  lived  again,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both 
of  the  dead  and  the  living.  That  kingdom 
is  no  abstraction ;  it  is  more  real  than  any 
earthly  dominion.  One  noteworthy  charac- 
teristic is  that  the  founder  remains  also 
perpetual  ruler,  himself  the  object,  center, 
and  life  thereof.  Toward  him  the  whole 
spiritual  sphere  gravitates.  His  sacrifice 
and  kingship,  Calvary  and  Mount  Zion,  are 
the  two  foci  of  the  grand  ellipse  which 
bounds  the  Messianic  empire.  When  men 
would  make  him  king  he  withdrew;  when 
they  would  crucify  him  he  said,  "  Here  am 
I."     When    he   died   it   was   for  all.      In  a 


LECT.  II.]  SPECIAL    PREROGATIVE.  45 

manner  and  for  a  reason  never  true  of  any 
mere  man  he  is  king  —  king  in  the  realm  of 
grace,  over  which  he  has  been  installed. 
That  investiture  placed  him  at  the  head  of 
the  Messianic,  the  Christian  kingdom.' 

Completeness  of  treatment  would  require 
that  we  turn  an  eye  to  the  Old  Testament 
intimations  of  Messiah's  regal  rights.  Those 
foreshadowings,  very  dim  at  first,  center  es- 
pecially in  the  covenant  promise  made  to 
David,  recorded  in  II  Samuel,  vii:  12-16,  and 
I  Chronicles,  xvii :  11-14.  An  enduring 
Davidic  kingdom  is  there  pledged:  Thine 
house  and  thy  kingdom  shall  be  estab- 
lished for  ever  before  thee ;  and  for  this 
interpretation  we  have  the  authority  of  the 
angel  Gabriel  (Luke  i:  32,  33).  In  the 
second  Psalm  occurs  the  first  lyric  recogni- 
tion of  Messiah  as  Kino*.  There  too  the 
specialty  of  his  position  and  rank  comes  to 
view :  Ask  of  me,  and  I  shall  give  thee  the 


*  By   older  writers    denominated    Regnum    mediatorium    vel 
(Economicu7n. 


46  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lhct.il 

heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  utter 
most  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession. 
Thence  onward  poetry  and  prophecy  not 
unfrequently  have  as  the  subject  of  aspira- 
tion and  vision  the  ideal  monarch  who  was 
to  appear  in  Israel  and  in  behalf  of  Israel. 
Psalm  seventy-two,  whatever  the  reference  to 
Solomon,  looks  beyond  him  to  an  endless 
perpetuity  of  reign.  Isaiah  ninth  presents 
Messiah  on  the  throne  of  David,  the  govern- 
ment upon  his  shoulder,  and  at  the  same 
time  bearing  the  name  Mighty  God,  Father 
of  Eternity.  Daniel,  in  his  second  vision, 
beholds  One  like  a  son  of  man ;  and  to  him 
was  given  dominion  and  glory  and  a  king- 
dom. Nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that 
Messianic  expectations  cluster  around  an 
antitype  of  David,  whose  advent  would  bring 
the  full  realization  of  hopes  cherished  for 
ages.  The  theocracy  of  Israel  was  typical 
of  the  Messianic  theocracy  which  should 
embrace  Gentiles  also.  It  was  not  neces- 
sary that  John  and  that  Jesus  should  preface 
their  preaching  of  the  kingdom  by  the  an- 


LECT.  II.]  SPECIAL    PREROGATIVE.  47 

nouncement  that  a  new  monarchy  had  been 
looked  for.  The  national  mind  was  full  of 
that  thought.  Not  the  naked  fact  of  head- 
ship, but  a  different  form  of  manifestation 
was  to  characterize  the  new  dispensation. 
Previous  dispensations  were  imperfect,  yet 
they  contained  elements  of  truth,  just  as 
germs  of  the  more  complete  always  lie  in  a 
previous  inferior  stage.  There  had  been  a 
divine  administration  peculiar  to  one  people 
and  to  Palestine ;  there  was  to  be  a  thean- 
thropic  administration  that  contemplates  all 
nations. 

It  follows  that  in  coming  to  this  world 
Immanuel  did  not  come  to  another's  terri- 
tory; and  though  on  coming  to  his  own  he 
was  rejected,  his  right  remained  unimpaired. 
Nothing  could  be  more  reasonable  than  for 
him  to  issue  such  orders  as  he  pleased,  all 
which  must  be  authoritative,  though  none  of 
them  could  be  arbitrary.  Authority  involves 
the  element  of  right;  power  may  exist  inde- 
pendently of  right.  Jesus  Christ  has  both 
rightful    supremacy    and    unlimited    might. 


48  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.il 

This  world  is  not  a  treasure  trove,  but  was 
called  into  being  for  the  great  moral  admin- 
istration which  is  conducted  by  him  its 
creator,  and  for  which  it  belongs  to  him  to 
give  laws  and  commands.  His  is  a  royalty 
exceedingly  unlike  and  above  everything 
earthly ;  it  is  his  to  forgive  sins  and  to  pre- 
side at  the  final  judgment. 

HIS    LAST    COMMAND. 

Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  by  a 
miracle,  and  he  left  it  by  miraculous  ascen- 
sion. After  his  resurrection  —  that  sealing 
testimony  to  his  mission  as  the  chief  out- 
come of  eternity,  that  occurrence  which  set 
bounds  to  the  economy  of  types  and  intro- 
duced an  era  of  magnificent  realization  — 
did  he  issue  any  notable  order .^^  In  the 
presence  of  an  opened  tomb  and  the  opened 
gates  of  glory  that  proclaimed  his  humilia- 
tion at  an  end,  all  regal  rights  confirmed, 
the  imperial  scepter  ready  for  his  hand,  did 
he  put  forth  any  one  exercise  of  kingship  as 
a  standing  memento  for  his  followers,  minis- 


LECT.  II.]  HIS    LAST    COMMAND.  49 

ters  and  all,  till  he  shall  come  again  ?  There 
is  one :  And  Jesus  came  to  them  and  spake 
unto  them,  saying,  All  authority  hath  been 
given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Go 
ye  therefore  and  make  disciples  of  all  the 
nations.  This  stands  out  as  the  distinguish- 
ing utterance  of  those  forty  days,  the  only 
commission  then  given,  Interpreting  and 
crowning  the  object  of  his  advent.  A  short 
time  ago  he  girded  himself  with  a  towel  for 
the  most  menial  service  ;  now  on  his  shoul- 
ders are  the  keys  of  death  and  Hades.  He 
has  become  heir  of  all  things.  His  orio-inal 
divine  rights  have,  if  possible,  been  aug- 
mented. All  things  take  on  a  manifest 
Christologlcal  bearing.  With  reference  to 
redemption  and  its  connected  interests,  to 
which  there  are  no  limits,  he  has  become 
sole  trustee.  Not  only  has  he  been  consti- 
tuted supreme  over  natural  forces  and  over 
the  principalities  of  darkness,  but  specially 
over  the  human  race.  As  legislator  his  seat 
is  on  a  parity  with  Sinai.  He  utters  no 
mere  opinions ;  he  never  speaks  of  probabili- 


50  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lhct.  n 

ties ;  it  is  his  to  issue  commands,  and  not 
only  is  he  king  at  the  capital,  but  a  monarch 
immediately  present  thoughout  the  realm. 
At  the  time  of  incarnation  he  did  not  cease 
to  be  with  God,  nor  in  exaltation  has  he 
ceased  to  be  with  us  and  over  us.  As  re- 
gards the  basis  of  Christianity  and  ministe- 
rial duty,  Messiah's  throne  rests  upon  the 
Cross.  A  superhuman  expiation  was  needed 
—  nothing  less  being  sufficient,  nothing 
more  required;  and  in  order  to  this  the 
Eternal  Word  became  flesh,  the  most  unique 
event  in  the  universe.  The  God-man  was 
here  not  so  much  to  announce  as  to  found; 
not  so  much  to  teach  as  to  be  the  subject  of 
instruction.  He  is  now  before  us  less  as  an 
exemplar  than  as  monarch.  For  us  in  our 
position  there  is  nothing,  on  the  score  of 
effectiveness,  to  compare  with  a  peremptory 
divine  command. 

LOWER    CONSIDERATIONS. 

Other    considerations    have    their    place. 
Temporal  advantages  to  the  heathen  result- 


LECT.ii.]  LOWER    CONSIDERATIONS.  5I 

ing  from  evangelization  are  sometimes  pre- 
sented.' A  softening  influence  upon  the 
usages  of  war;  upon  the  standing  and  rela- 
tions of  woman ;  upon  the  treatment  of  the 
aged,  the  sick,  the  insane,  the  poor ;  and 
elevating  influences  upon  industrial  habits, 
upon  education  and  legislation,  are  indeed  of 
great  moment.  A  good  deal  is  now  said 
regarding  the  indebtedness  of  commerce 
to  foreign  missions,  and  regarding  various 
other  secular  results,  such  as  appear  in  con- 
tributions to  literature,  to  the  natural  sci- 
ences, to  archeology,  philology  and  ethnog- 
raphy. Often,  too,  and  rightly,  are  the 
reacting  benefits  upon  home  churches  set 
forth,  in  breaking  up  the  monotony  of  relig- 
ious thought  and  services,  in  enlivening  and 
broadening  piety,  in  stirring  up  to  more 
vigorous  efforts  for  the  neglected  at  home. 
Published  sermons  not  a  few  have  been 
devoted  to  these  and  kindred  topics.  But 
whatever  use  may  suitably  be  made  of  such 

^  Appendix,  note  5. 


52  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  n. 

auxiliary  topics,  care  should  be  taken  that 
due  prominence  be  given  to  the  prime 
demand  for  loyalty  to  the  Messianic  King. 
Commiseration,  for  instance,  is  appropriate. 
The  degradation,  the  cruelties  practiced,  the 
sufferings  endured  in  pagan  lands,  may  well 
stir  the  heart  of  Christendom.  Compassion 
for  the  heathen  is  an  urgent  motive  to  mis- 
sionary zeal.  But  something  deeper  than 
sympathy  is  required.  In  this  matter  neither 
our  Lord  nor  the  apostles  appealed  to  pity. 
There  is  a  must  in  the  case ;  conscience  has 
an  interest.  A  more  scriptural  motive  is 
holy  grief  in  view  of  God's  offended  majesty. 
Evangelistic  duty  should  be  presented  from 
pulpit  and  platform,  not  simply  as  a  question 
of  humanitarian  or  philanthropic  interest, 
but  as  an  urgency  of  our  holy  religion. 
Here  stands  a  command ;  not  advice,  not  a 
suggestion  of  prudence  or  of  expediency, 
but  a  clear  order.  It  comes  with  military 
precision  and  peremptoriness  —  "Go  ye." 
"  Look  at  your  marching  orders,"  said  the 
Duke    of    Wellington    to    a   chaplain,    who 


LECT.ii.]  LOWER    CONSIDERATIONS.  53 

seemed  to  doubt  about  the  necessity  of 
preaching  to  the  heathen.  "  Look  at  your 
marching  orders ;  how  do  they  read  ? "  ' 
Nelson  at  Trafalgar  signaled  to  his  fleet, 
"  England  expects  every  man  to  do  his 
duty."  But  what  is  the  command  of  an 
admiral,  or  what  the  expectation  of  an  entire 
realm  —  throne,  parliament,  people  —  to  the 
word  of  our  Lord,  many  crowns  upon  his 
head,  the  nations  as  a  drop  of  the  bucket 
and  counted  the  small  dust  of  the  balance  ? 

OBEDIENCE    PROMPT    AND    IMPLICIT. 

Surely,  then,  the  most  prompt  obedience 
is  demanded.  Not  more  imperative  is  the 
duty  of  present  repentance,  or  growth  in 
grace,  or  the  duties  of  prayer  and  holy  liv- 
ing. Go  or  send  is  the  only  option.  Here 
am  I ;  send  me  — to  the  first  man  I  meet,  or 
to  the  remotest  heathen  —  is  the  appropri- 
ate response  of  every  Christian.  Whether 
others    take    hold    or  not,    with  or  without 

*  Appendix,  note  6. 


54  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  ii. 

cooperation,  it  is  my  business  to  obey  my 
Lord  at  once  in  purpose  and  preparation, 
and  to  find  or  make  a  way  of  reaching  the 
unevangelized.  Responsibility  is  individual, 
untransferable,  urgent.  Most  surprising  it 
is  that  this  should  have  been  so  little  appre- 
hended and  so  little  heeded  even  by  professed 
successors  of  the  apostles  and  by  others 
whose  warrant  for  preaching  at  home  is  wide 
as  the  world.'  Neumeister,  who  died  in  the 
middle  of  the  last  century,  author  of  several 
hundred  German  hymns,  some  of  them 
excellent,  wound  up  an  Ascension  sermon, 
in  which  he  attempted  to  show  that  the  so- 
called  missions  of  the  day  were  needless 
with  the  words : 

"  Of  old.  'twas  said  indeed,  '  Go  forth  to  every  land,' 
But  tarry  where  thou,  art  is  now  the  Lord's  command.'" 

When  application  for  the  renewal  of  the 
East  India  Company's  charter  was  before 
Parliament,  and  Wilberforce  moved  to  have 

*  Appendbc,  note  7. 

*  Gustav  Warjieck,  Abriss  einer  Geschichte  der  protestanti 
schen  Missionen.     Zweite  Auf.     Leipzig,  1883.     S.  30. 


LECT  II.]     OBEDIENCE  PROMPT  AND  IMPLICIT.  55 

clauses  enforcing  certain  religious  provisions 
inserted,  violent  opposition  arose  ;  and  the 
House  of  Commons  refused.  In  the  upper 
house  only  two  men  even  of  the  Lords  Spir- 
itual would  advocate  the  measure.  Not  a 
line  could  be  introduced  into  the  charter 
towards  keeping  Englishmen  in  India  Chris- 
tians, or  making  Hindus  such.'  The  Bishop 
of  St.  David's  said  one  nation  had  no  right 
to  impose  its  faith  upon  another.  Very 
true ;  no  nation  and  no  church  has  a  rio-ht  to 
impose  its  faith  upon  another ;  but  has  any 
church  a  rio:ht  not  to  evano^elize  the  heathen  ? 
or  has  any  pagan  people  a  right  to  its  idola- 
trous beliefs  and  practices  ?  It  has  now 
become  a  somewhat  familiar  incident  in  the 
history  of  missions  that  at  a  meeting  of 
Baptist  ministers  in  Northampton,  England 
(about  1788),  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ryland,  senior, 
called  on  the  young  men  present  to  propose 
some  topic  for  discussion.  Thereupon  Wil- 
liam Carey  proposed    "  The  duty  of  Chris- 

*  Pioneers  and  Founders.     ByC.M.  Yonge.     Page  99. 


56  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lrct,  n 

tians  to  attempt  the  spread  of  the  gospel 
among  heathen  nations."  The  venerable 
divine  was  astonished,  and  springing  to  his 
feet  denounced  the  proposition  with  a  frown, 
and  thundered  out:  "  Young  man,  sit  down  ! 
When  God  pleases  to  convert  the  heathen 
he  will  do  it  without  your  aid  or  mine."  '  A 
spurious  Calvinism^  obscured  the  good 
man's  vision.  Has  Christ's  ascension  order 
ever  been  repealed  ?  Has  it  ever  been  mod- 
ified ?  Have  exceptions  ever  been  made  ? 
Who  has  authority  to  exempt  any  one  ? 
No  less  imperative  is  this  command  than 
the  Decalogue.  From  the  apostles  w^e  have 
no  writings  prior  to  the  effusion  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  nor  do  the  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ 
antedate  the  public  recognition  of  his  ofHce 
by  baptism;  but  this  injunction  has  special 
force;  it  comes  last  of  all,  comes  after  resur- 
rection from  the  tomb  has  attested  his  king- 
ship, has  attested  the  fact  that  he  is  no  less 

*  John  C.  Marshman.     Life  and  Times  of  Carey,  Marshman, 
and  Ward.    2  vols.    London,  1859.    i,  page  10. 
^  Appendix,  note  8. 


LECT.  11]     OBEDIENCE  PROMPT  AND  IMPLICIT.  57 

Christ  over  all,  God  blessed  forever,  than  that 
by  the  sacrifice  of  himself  he  is  Christ  for 
all. 

Light  from  our  Saviour's  last  command 
shows  us  how  to  understand  certain  parables 
of  the  kingdom.  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  like  unto  a  man  that  is  a  householder ;  but 
what  are  the  limits  of  the  owner's  vineyard  ? 
The  bounds  of  the  inhabited  globe,  which, 
from  north  to  south  and  east  to  west,  is  his 
—  his  not  by  discovery,  or  inheritance,  or 
purchase,  but  by  the  highest  conceivable 
right,  that  of  creation.  Laborers  having 
freely  entered  into  a  contract,  he  bids  them 
go  into  the  vineyard.  The  burden  of  the 
day  and  the  scorching  heat,  or  a  comfortable 
season  just  before  sunset,  many  hours  or  one 
hour,  is  not  the  question,  but  service,  prompt 
and  cheerful  service.  Again  :  A  man  had 
two  sons ;  and  he  came  to  the  first  and  said, 
"Son,  go  work  today  in  the  vineyard." 
More  binding,  immeasurably  more  absolute 
than  the  authority  of  an  earthly  parent,  is 
that  of  our  heavenly  Father  who  saith  to  the 


58  MISSIONARY   OBLIGATION.  [lhct.il 

children  of  men,  Go  work  In  the  vineyard ; 
go  today.  Instant  obedience  In  design  and 
effort  Is  demanded.  Further,  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  as  a  man  going  into  another 
country,  or  a  nobleman  into  a  far  country 
Talents,  pounds  are  given  to  the  servants-  in 
trust,  with  the  understanding,  yes,  with  the 
injunction,  Trade  till  I  come.  The  trust  so 
committed  is  everything  —  but  especially  his 
gospel  —  whereby  the  Great  Proprietor  may 
be  honored  In  the  advancement  of  his  king- 
dom. It  is  rather  with  Christ  than  Chris- 
tianity that  we  have  to  deal ;  with  a  divine 
person  who  saith,  I  that  speak  unto  thee  am 
he.  Not  only  did  he  found  a  kingdom  ;  he 
is  its  immediate  and  living  administrator. 
Implicit  obedience  is  most  evidently  due. 

It  is  a  sublime  peculiarity  of  man  that  he 
can  appreciate  authority  ;  that  he  can  discern 
principles  which  render  a  command  legiti- 
mate, even  though  he  does  not  see  the 
intrinsic  reasonableness  of  a  given  command. 
The  right-minded  soldier  accepts  his  very 
position  as  a  sufficient  reason  for  compliance 


LECT.ii.]     OBEDIENCE  PROMPT  AND  IMPLICIT.  59 

with  orders.  It  is  not  for  him  to  argue 
about  the  wisdom  of  any  particular  move- 
ment or  the  plan  of  a  campaign,  but  to  obey. 
Unquestioning  discharge  of  duty  pertains  to 
men  in  the  ranks.  Leonhard  Dober,  the 
first  Moravian  missionary,  when  all  attempts- 
to  dissuade  him  had  failed,  and  it  was  at  last 
said  confidently  that  endeavors  in  behalf  of 
West  India  slaves  would  be  fruitless,  replied: 
"  Even  if  no  one  should  be  benefited,  and 
no  fruits  follow  my  efforts,  yet  I  will  go,  for 
I  must  obey  my  Saviour's  call."  The 
thought  of  difficulties  and  perils  is  not  to  be 
entertained.  Once  admit  that  Arctic  navi- 
gation is  required,  risks  are  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. When  Drachart,  the  Moravian,  was 
told  that  the  Eskimos  of  Labrador  would 
murder  him,  he  answered :  "  If  they  will  kill 
me,  they  will  kill  me ;  but  go  I  must." 

"  '  Forward  let  the  people  go ;' 
Israel's  God  will  have  it  so. 
Though  the  path  be  through  the  sea, 
Israel,  what  is  that  to  thee? 

Deep  and  wide  the  sea  appears, 
Israel  wonders,  Israel  fears; 
Yet  the  word  is  '  Forward  '  still ; 
Israel,  'tis  thy  Master's  will." 


6o  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect,  n. 

To  the  sentimentalist,  to  the  man  who 
has  feeble  conceptions  of  the  value  and 
reasonableness  of  legitimate  authority  as 
authority,  it  may  seem  strange  that  in  his 
closing  interview  with  the  disciples  our  Lord 
should  not  have  imparted  maxims  to  govern 
their  private  life;  that  he  should  not  have 
sent  affectionate  messages  to  the  absent; 
that  to  his  bosom  friends  no  melting  words 
were  whispered ;  that  these  immediate  fol- 
lowers seemed  hardly  so  much  in  his  heart 
as  the  race  at  large ;  indeed,  that  under  such 
circumstances  he  should  direct  such  men  to 
start  out  on  such  an  errand,  that  of  disci- 
pling  all  nations.  Sending  them  like  sheep 
into  the  midst  of  wolves,  had  he  no  compas- 
sion ?  Infinite  compassion  for  a  lost  world 
brought  him  hither;  the  same  compassion 
will  not  let  him  leave  his  work  unfinished; 
and  the  highest  welfare  of  the  little  group  of 
beloved  disciples  as  well  as  of  the  human 
family  at  large  was  wrapped  up  in  obedience 
to  this  supreme  command.  It  is  not  then  a 
blind   obedience    that    he    requires.      The 


[LECT.  II.        FITNESS    OF    THE    IMPERATIVE.  6l 

apostles  could  see,  we  can  see,  the  weightiest 
of  reasons  underlying  the  great  commission. 

FITNESS    OF   THE    IMPERATIVE. 

For  a  mind  deeply  penetrated  with  religi- 
ous convictions  there  is  a  singular  aptitude 
in  the  imperative  mood.  Even  Jesuitical 
perversion  confirms  this.  The  demand  and 
practice  of  unconditional  obedience  is  a 
fundamental  secret  of  that  martial  order 
which  is  so  well  trained  for  its  object,  hierar- 
chical domination.  Their  discipline,  how- 
ever, involves  a  fearful  perversion,  not  to  say 
extinction,  of  the  moral  sense.  It  substitutes 
human  authority  for  the  divine.  Daring 
impiety,  cloaked  in  a  religious  garb,  is  at  its 
base;  but  it  is  marvelously  efHcient.  It  has 
the  semblance  of  that  which  can  be  due  to 
one  only,  the  King  of  kings.  Over  against 
such  misguided  devotion  to  the  pretended 
Vicar  of  Christ  we  place  a  loyalty  to  Christ 
himself,  intelligent  and  intense.  Enough 
that  he  is  on  the  throne  and  that  this  is  his 


62  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  n. 

will.  Charlemagne's  motto  may  well  be 
every  believer  s  :  Christus  vincit ;  Christus 
regnat ;  Christus  tr lump  hat — "  Christ  is  con- 
quering; Christ  is  reigning;  Christ  is  tri- 
umphing." Ko-Chat-Thing,  a  Karen  con- 
vert, when  in  this  country  was  asked  on  one 
occasion  to  address  a  congregation  respecting 
their  obligation  to  send  out  missionaries. 
After  a  moment  of  thought  he  asked  with  a 
good  deal  of  emotion :  "  Has  not  Christ  told 
them  to  do  it?"  "Oh  yes,"  was  the  reply, 
"  but  we  wish  you  to  remind  them  of  their 
duty."  "  Oh  no  !  "  said  the  Karen  ;  "  if  they 
will  not  mind  Jesus  Christ  they  will  not 
mind  me." '  No  indeed ;  If  they  hear  not 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  if  they  hear  not 
him  who  has  risen  from  the  dead,  whom  will 
they  hear } 

THE    LAW    OF    BENEVOLENCE. 

Messianic  supremacy  harmonizes  with  the 
demands  of  benevolence.    Jesus  Christ  is  ex- 

*  Hayne's  Christian  Missions,  page  15. 


LECT.  II.]         THE    LAW    OF    BENEVOLENCE.  63 

alted  to  be  not  only  Prince  but  Saviour,  and 
as  the  salvation  of  men  is  the  great  aim  of 
divine  love,  that  is  enforced  as  the  highest 
aim  of  Christian  benevolence.  The  gospel 
is  more  than  a  rule  of  life ;  for  the  preacher 
to  publish  it  should  be  an  inspiration  of 
gratitude.  The  roots  of  religious  loyalty 
are  fed  by  a  living  spring  at  the  foot  of 
Calvary.  In  the  light  of  our  Lord's  great 
commission  we  learn  how  much  of  breadth 
should  be  given  to  other  words  of  his,  as: 
Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give ;  All 
things  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should 
do  unto  you,  even  so  do  ye  also  to  them. 
Whatever  is  thus  rightly  done  is  for  his 
sake,  and  at  the  judgment  day  will  be  ac- 
cepted by  him,  for  the  King  shall  say.  In- 
asmuch as  ye  did  it  unto  one  of  these  least, 
ye  did  it  unto  me. 

Apostolic  interpretation  comes  to  our  aid : 
I  am  debtor  both  to  Greeks  and  to  barba- 
rians, both  to  the  wise  and  to  the  foolish. 
In  those  words  Paul  speaks  not  only  as  an 
apostle  but  as  a  Christian.     This  spirit  and 


64  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  it 

profession  are  claimed  of  all/  The  Chris- 
tian, be  he  apostle,  pastor,  missionary,  or 
anything  else,  when  once  the  gospel  has 
taken  firm  hold  of  his  heart,  dare  not  with- 
hold the  benefits  of  the  unspeakable  gift 
from  any;  does  not  dare  repudiate  his  in- 
debtedness; does  not  dare  to  wrong  cred- 
itors, however  remote  from  him.  As  de- 
pository of  untold  treasures  for  them,  he 
trembles  at  the  thought  of  embezzlement. 
Disbursement  to  the  utmost  alone  can  sat- 
isfy him.  Necessity  is  laid  upon  me,  cries 
the  minister,  yea,  woe  is  me,  if  I  preach  not 
the  gospel.  Not  an  impulse  merely,  but  a 
principle  moves  him.  He  has  been  made 
trustee  for  the  heathen ;  and  what  a  trust 
is  committed  to  him  !  —  a  knowledge  of  the 
only  true  God  and  of  the  only  salvation. 
But  how  many  such  ministers,  how  many 
such  Christians  are  there  .^  On  each  indi- 
vidual, lay  or  clerical,  is  the  call  made,  Pay 
that  thou  owest. 

*  Appendix,  note  9. 


LBCT.ii.]  INSTINCTIVE    SENTIMENT.  65 


INSTINCTIVE    SENTIMENT. 

Possibly  a  suspicion  may  arise  that  in 
regard  to  evangelistic  duty  it  is  only  more 
enlightened  consciences  which  can  be  ex- 
pected to  discern  this ;  that  it  is  a  recondite 
matter  of  obligation,  to  be  appreciated  by 
none  except  where  the  clear  light  of  revela- 
tion has  shone  and  long  shone.  We  will 
then  take  the  testimony  of  peoples  on  whom 
that  light  has  never  shone,  whose  judgment 
is  subject  to  no  favorable  bias  from  educa- 
tion. True,  great  questions  of  duty  are  not 
to  be  determined  by  the  opinions  of  other 
men,  yet  something  may  often  be  learned 
by  what  is  said  of  us.  Now  what  thoughts 
are  likely  to  arise  in  the  mind  of  a  man 
who  has  all  his  days  been  sitting  in  the 
darkness  of  paganism  when  he  hears  a  mis- 
sionary speak  of  the  great  salvation  ?  Take 
a  hearer  from  the  past  or  present,  from  any 
nationality,  from  any  grade  of  .barbarism, 
from  any  environment.      Listen  to  aborigi- 


66  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  n. 

nal  red  men  on  our  own  continent.  Go 
back  two  hundred  years  and  accompany 
John  Eliot  on  one  of  his  visits  to  Natick. 
You  will  hear  a  powwow  ask  how  it  hap- 
pened that,  as  the  English  had  been  in  the 
country  a  considerable  time,  some  of  them 
no  less  than  twenty-seven  years,  they  had  so 
Ions:  neo-lected  to  instruct  the  natives  in  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  why  they  had  not 
sooner  imparted  what  they  professed  to 
consider  so  important.  "  Had  you  done  it 
sooner,"  says  he,  "  we  might  have  known 
"^  much  of  God  by  this  time,  and  much  sin 
might  have  been  prevented,  but  now  some 
of  us  are  grown  old  in  sin !  " '  What  satis- 
factory answer  could  the  apostle  to  the  In- 
dians give?  A  hundred  years  later  listen 
to  what  the  Indians  in  New  Jersey,  who 
have  been  driven  from  their  old  haunts,  say 
to  David  Brainerd :  "  Why  did  not  those 
good  people  send  you  to  teach  us  before, 
while  we  had    our  lands  down    by  the  sea- 

^  Francis's  Life  of  John  Eliot,  pages  98,  99. 


LBCT.u.l  INSTINCTIVE    SENTIMENT.  6^ 

side  ?  If  they  had  sent  you  then  we  should 
likely  have  heard  you  and  turned  Chris- 
tians."' Is  it  easy  for  that  saintly  man  to 
satisfy  them  ?  Come  down  another  century 
to  the  year  1840.  "  I  am  the  chief  of  a  nu- 
merous people,"  said  an  aged  warrior  to  a 
missionary  on  the  Manitoulin  Islands,  "  and 
I  wish  them  to  be  instructed.  We  have 
heard  that  our  brothers  who  are  near  the 
white  settlements  have  received  the  Great 
Word.  We  have  heard  that  the  Great 
Spirit  has  told  the  white  man  to  send  the 
Great  Word  to  all  his  children ;  why  does 
he  not  send  it  to  us }  I  have  been  looking 
many  moons  down  the  river  to  see  the  mis- 
sionary's canoe,  but  it  has  not  come  yet."^ 
What  could  the  Wesleyan  brother  reply  to 
that  ? 

It  may  be  alleged  that  these  reflective 
men  of  the  forest  would  be  more  likely 
to  put  such  questions   than  those  of  other 

*  Edwards's  Life  of  Brainerd,  page  330. 

'^Wesleyan  Missions.  By  Robert  Adler.  London,  1842. 
Page  39. 


68  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  ii. 

races  ;  that  thoughts  of  this  kind  will  hardly 
occur  to  dark-skinned  Africans.  But  Se- 
chele,  chief  of  the  Bakwains,  did  say  to  Liv- 
ingstone :  "  All  my  forefathers  have  passed 
away  into  darkness  without  knowing  any- 
thing of  what  was  to  befall  them;  how  is 
it  that  your  forefathers,  knowing  all  these 
things,  did  not  send  word  to  my  forefathers 
sooner }  "  '  Aye,  Christian  Scotland,  Chris- 
tian England,  how  is  this  ? 

Two  of  the  great  continents  have  spoken. 
Pass  on  to  Asia.  At  a  public  gathering  of 
natives  near  Madura  in  Southern  India, 
after  a  missionary  had  read  to  them  part 
of  the  tract  entitled  Good  Oppo^^tmiity,  the 
men  asked  where  Christ  and  his  followers 
were.  "  It  is  now,"  said  they,  "  the  fourth 
age  of  the  world,  and  never  till  the  mis- 
sionaries came  here  did  we  hear  of  this 
relis^ion.  Where  has  it  been  all  this  time  ? 
Who  and  how  many  are  its  followers } 
Where    do   they  live.f^     If   it  was    intended 

^  Livingstone's  Cambridge  Lectures.     Lecture  i,  5. 


LECT.  11.]  INSTINCTIVE    SENTIMENT.  69 

for  US,  why  have  we  not  known  it  before  ? 
Have  all  our  ancestors  who  have  died 
without  it  gone  to  hell  ?  "  They  were  told 
that  most  of  the  people  in  America  and 
Europe  are  professedly  Christians,  where- 
upon one  of  them  exclaimed :  "  What !  and 
suffer  us  to  go  to  hell  for  so  many  ages 
without  even  coming  to  tell  us  about  it  ? 
What  kind  of  religion  is  that  ?  "  ' 

Leave  now  the  continents  and  visit  isl- 
ands of  the  sea.  Possibly  in  their  isolation 
and  simplicity  the  natives  may  never  pro- 
pound such  embarrassing  problems.  Mrs. 
Thurston  relates ""  that  older  native  Sand- 
wich Islanders  would  come  in  to  see  her 
school,  and  that  she  often  noticed  tears 
trickling  down  their  cheeks  because  they 
had  destroyed  their  own  children  at  the 
threshold  of  life,  and  there  were  none  re- 
maining to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  Chris- 
tian education.      At  a  great  Sunday-school 

'  Missionary  Herald,  1840.     Page  146. 

*  Life  and  Times  of  Mrs.  Lucy  G.  Thurston,  page  147. 


70  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  n. 

celebration  in  Hilo,  when  thousands  of 
children  were  present  in  their  holiday  dress 
and  with  garlands  of  flowers  on  their  heads, 
an  aged  woman  was  noticed  moving  about 
in  great  distress,  beating  her  breast  and 
wailing.  A  missionary  asked  the  cause  of 
her  weeping  on  so  joyful  an  occasion.  The 
poor  creature  said :  "  Why  didn't  the  mis- 
sionaries come  before  ?  These  hands  are 
stained  with  the  blood  of  twelve  children, 
and  not  one  remains  of  my  flesh  to  rejoice 
here  today ! "  She  then  cried  out  again : 
**  Oh,  why  didn't  the  missionaries  come 
before  ?  "  '  Yes,  such  is  the  universal  sen- 
timent. From  every  habitation  of  cruelty, 
continental  and  insular,  there  comes  the  cry. 
Why  not  sooner  ?  Why  not  sooner  ?  It 
is  the  instinctive  suggestion  of  any  people, 
hitherto  neglected  and  hence  wronged.  The 
whole  heathen  world  joins  in  a  reproach- 
ful interrogation  to  Christendom,  Why  not 
sooner  ?  ^ 

*  Miss  West's  Romance  of  Missions.     609,  610. 

*  Appendix,  note  10. 


LECT.  II.]  INSTINCTIVE    SENTIMENT.  7 1 

But  take  now  the  ignorant  heathen  away 
from  their  rude  surroundings ;  give  them 
the  advantages  of  an  old  civilization ;  and 
will  they  not  then  see  things  in  a  different 
light  ?  Will  they  not  become  so  considerate 
as  to  refrain  from  such  inquiries  ?  Let  us 
follow  a  group  of  Hottentots  to  England, 
After  a  time  we  go  into  a  public  conference 
where  one  of  them,  taking  leave  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society,  expresses  herself  in 
broken  English  thus  :  "  What  pity  'tis,  what 
sin  'tis,  that  you  have  so  many  years  got 
that  heavenly  bread  and  hold  it  for  your- 
selves, not  to  give  one  little  bit,  one  crumb 
to  poor  heathen.  There  are  so  many  mil- 
lions of  heathen  and  you  have  so  much 
bread ;  and  you  could  depend  upon  it  you 
should  not  have  less  because  you  gave ;  but 
the  Lord  Jesus  would  give  his  blessing,  and 
you  should  have  the  more." 

Ah,  yes ;  for  the  famishing  multitudes,  in 
companies  of  five  thousand,  of  five  hundred 
thousand,  of  five  millions,  providing  bread 
enough  and  to  spare,  he   bids  his  disciples 


^2  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  n. 

distribute.  But  they  hesitate ;  they  set  about 
laying  in  stores  for  themselves.  They  so 
multiply  home  luxuries,  they  feed  them- 
selves so  plentifully  as  to  grow  heavy  and 
forget  the  command  to  distribute.  Their 
costly  tabernacles  and  other  appointments 
help  to  shut  off  the  starving  crowd  from 
view.  If  any  heart  in  Christendom  should 
be  touched  by  the  wants,  and  woes,  and  up- 
braidings  of  the  heathen  world,  is  it  not  the 
minister's  heart?  If  any  soul  should  glow 
with  an  all-embracing  benevolence,  is  it  not 
the  pastor's.?  If  in  the  kingdom  of  grace 
there  is  one  who  appreciates  the  claims  and 
scope  of  the  reign  of  grace,  one  who  has 
measured  the  length  and  breadth  of  loyalty 
due  to  the  dying,  risen,  adorable  Redeemer, 
should  it  not  be  his  ordained  ambassador? ' 


*  Appendix,  note  ii. 


LECTURE   III. 

MISSIONARY   OBLIGATION 

(CONTINUED.) 


MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION. 

(continued.) 

The  imperative  claim  upon  all  Christians 
and  especially  upon  Christian  ministers  to 
engage  directly  or  indirectly  in  foreign  evan- 
gelization has  already  been  considered.  But 
the  subject  is  far  from  being  exhausted. 
Duty  and  methods,  with  sundry  side-lights, 
require  further  consideration. 

DEFECTIVE    ETHICS.' 

A  few  words  concerning  ethical  studies 
in  the  college  course  may  not  be  out  of 
place.  Whatever  the  intrinsic  or  compara- 
tive merits  of  the  text-books  used,  does  any 
one  of  them  give  prominence  to  the  fact  of  a 
universal  brotherhood  in  the  human  family  ? 
Theories  of  morals,  the  nature  of  virtue,  the 
moral  sense,  the  wide  field  of  rights,  of  duties 

*  Appendix,  note  12. 

(75) 


76  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  m. 

to  one's  self,  social  duties,  duties  to  the  State, 
and  duties  to  God,  it  may  be,  are  discussed ; 
but  which  of  them  takes  adequately  into 
account  the  solidarity  of  our  race,  and  to 
any  considerable  extent  contemplates  moral 
relations  broader  than  those  of  patriotism  ? 
The  venerable  Dr.  Mark  Hopkins  appeared 
to  regard  the  teaching  of  God's  word  relative 
to  man's  character  and  Christian  obligation 
to  heathen  peoples  as  not  belonging  to  the 
province  of  moral  philosophy.  "  Hence  a 
true  moral  science,"  he  observes,  "  will  and 
must  be  independent  of  revelation,  and  will 
be  a  test  of  anything  claiming  to  be  that, 
for  nothing  that  can  be  shown  to  be  really 
in  opposition,  either  to  the  reason  or  to  the 
moral  nature  of  man,  can  be  from  God."' 
On  the  other  hand,  President  Wayland 
deems  our  sacred  Scriptures  "  the  great 
source  of  moral  truth,  and  that  a  system  of 
ethics  will  be  true  just  in  proportion  as  it 
develops     their     meaning."*      Toward     the 

^  An  Outline  Study  of  Man.     1884.     Page  280. 

*  The  Elements  of  Moral  Science.     Revised  Ed.     Preface,  v. 


LKCT.  in.]  CHRISTIAN    ETHICS.  77 

close  of  his  work  he  remarks : '  "As  the 
most  efficacious  mode  of  promoting  moral 
reformation  yet  discovered  is  found  to  be 
the  inculcation  of  the  truths  of  the  holy 
Scriptures,  it  is  our  imperative  duty  to 
bring  those  truths  into  contact  with  the 
consciences  of  men.  This  duty  is  by  our 
Saviour  imposed  upon  all  his  disciples:  "  Go 
ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature."  But  in  none  of  the  other 
text-books  on  moral  science  now  studied  is 
there,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  a  recognition  of 
our  duties  to  the  unevangelized  millions, 
greater  in  distinctness  or  extent  than  that 
short  paragraph  which  yet  is  all  too  short. 

CHRISTIAN    ETHICS. 

When  we  look  into  the  works  of  men  like 
Hume,''  Bain,3  Herbert  Spencer,^  Fourier  or 
Schopenhauer,  we   are   not  disappointed  at 


^  Page  3S8. 

^  Inquiry  Concerning  the  Principles  of  Morality. 
2  Mental  and  Moral  Science.     London,  1868. 
*The  Data  of  Ethics. 


78  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lbct.  m 

finding  all  Christian  duties  as  such  dis- 
carded.  The  two  last  named  give  no  place 
at  all  to  the  idea  of  obligation.  In  such 
writers  we  do  not  expect  to  find  any  favor- 
able allusion  to  the  duty  of  gospel  promul- 
gation ;  but  have  we  not  a  right  to  expect 
some  mention  of  this  by  evangelical  writers 
when  they  discuss  the  science  of  obligation  ? 
And  may  we  not  especially  anticipate  finding 
such  mention,  proportionately  extended  too, 
in  treatises  expressly  upon  Christian  ethics  ? 
Yet  here  again  we  are  doomed  to  a  good 
deal  of  disappointment,  not  perhaps  from 
Sir  Thomas  Browne's  "  Christian  Morals," 
but  that  the  earnest  and  excellent  Richard 
Baxter,  in  a  voluminous  discussion  (1673), 
should  fail  to  treat  of  this  wide  department 
in  Christ's  kingdom,  though  he  elsewhere 
showed  a  practical  interest  therein.  We 
have  a  work  by  the  late  Dr.  Wardlaw,  of 
Glasgow,  with  an  introduction  by  Dr.  Woods, 
formerly  professor  in  the  Theological  Semi- 
nary at  Andover  —  a  work  entitled  to  more 
consideration  than  it  has  received.      Espe- 


LECT.  III.]  CHRISTIAN    ETHICS.  79 

cially  valuable  is  Dr.  Wardlaw's  treatise  for 
showing  the  futility  of  attempts  to  deduce  a 
scheme  of  virtue  from  the  present  character 
of  human  nature.  In  the  last  chapter,  which 
treats  of  certain  peculiarities  of  Christian 
duty,  the  author  remarks :  "  As  an  apostate 
province  of  the  universal  empire,  under  an 
administration  of  mediatorial  mercy,  its  con- 
dition and  its  obligations  are  alike  peculiar; 
so  that,  were  the  moral  philosophy  of  the 
universe  ever  so  correctly  illustrated,  the 
moral  philosophy  of  our  own  world  must 
be  miserably  defective  and  erroneous,  if  the 
wonderful  specialties  of  its  condition,  and 
the  divine  relations  to  it  in  the  mystery  of  re- 
deeming grace,  are  not  rightly  understood." 
Professor  Whewell  devotes  to  religion  one 
of  his  six  books,  with  its  score  of  chapters 
on  Christian  morality,  yet  has  nothing  to 
say  about  duties  to  the  unevangelized. 
Open  Fleming's  Manual  of  Moral  Philos- 
ophy, and  you  find  not  a  word  In  his 
chapters  on  benevolence  indicating  that  a 
man  who  shares  the  benefits  of  Christianitv 


So  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  hi 

therefore  owes  anything  to  men  outside  of 
Christendom.  The  same  is  true  of  Birks 
in  his  lectures  at  the  University  of  Cam- 
bridge, and  much  the  same  also  of  the 
works  of  Sewell,  Row,  Wace,  and  Fowler. 
In  his  Bampton  lectures  Canon  Smith  is 
less  open  to  criticism. 

Turning  to  works  in  this  department  from 
German  pens,  and  which  have  been  trans- 
lated into  our  language,  we  find  Harless 
making  the  merest  allusion  to  evangelistic 
duties ;  Wutke  and  Luthardt  do  no  more ; 
but  the  Danish  bishop  Martensen  does  set 
apart  four  sections  of  his  "  Social  Ethics  "  to 
the  subject  of  missions.  Among  treatises 
which  have  not  been  rendered  into  English, 
we  are  gratified  to  see  that  some  of  those 
belonging  to  the  last  quarter  of  a  century, 
as,  for  example,  the  one  by  Palmer  and  one 
by  Professor  Lange,  give  some  place  to  this 
department  of  duties.' 


*  Appendix,  note  13. 


LBCT.  III.]  PHILOSOPHICAL   ETHICS.  8 1 


PHILOSOPHICAL    ETHICS. 

There  are  works  which  from  their  aim 
may  perhaps  less  reasonably  be  expected  to 
introduce  that  subject,  as  one  by  Maurice, 
who  gives  the  title  "  Thy  Neighbor  and 
Thyself  "to  Lecture  VII,  and  who  devotes 
eight  lectures  to  "  Universal  Morality;  "  one 
by  Birks,  not  before  referred  to ;  one  by 
Sidgwick,  and  one  by  Richard  Travers 
Smith,'  Canon  of  St.  Patrick's,  Dublin. 
Yet  we  cannot  help  thinking  that  a  pre- 
lector like  Mr.  Sidgwick,  at  a  Christian 
institution,  in  this  second  half  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  might,  when  treating  of 
benevolence,""  have  found  something  to  say 
about  our  duties  to  the  pagan  world  with 
no  less  propriety  than  about  the  minor  rules 
of  gentleness,  politeness,  and  courtesy.  It 
may  be  said  that  philosophical  ethics  should 
be  restricted  to  the  treatment  of  fundamen- 

*  Appendix,  note  14. 

*  Book  iii,  chap,  iv,  §  5. 


82  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  hi. 

tal  principles,  and  that  the  application  of 
the  same  should  be  left  to  practical  theology, 
to  casuistry,  or  to  works  otherwise  strictly 
religious.  In  point  of  fact  moral  philosophy 
has,  as  a  general  thing,  occupied  itself  inde- 
pendently of  revelation  and  religion,  taking 
no  cognizance  of  sin  and  redemption,  'but 
contemplating  the  human  mind  and  human 
nature  as  they  are.  Is  it  not,  however, 
unphilosophical  to  leave  out  of  account 
that  most  significant  event,  man's  apostasy  ? 
To  the  present  time  the  methods  of  moral 
science  usually  proceed  much  as  they  might 
be  expected  to  do  had  the  race  continued 
in  pristine  purity,  retaining  God  in  their 
knowledge,  and  retaining  love  for  his  holy 
precepts.  In  such  a  world  as  ours,  purely 
philosophical  ethics  is  well-nigh  a  mockery. 
Would  it  not  be  worse  than  insult  to  the 
inmates  of  a  leper  or  lunatic  asylum  to  treat 
them  only  with  a  disquisition  on  the  healthy 
conditions  of  the  human  frame  and  of  mental 
physiology,  accepting  these  very  inmates  as 
specimens  of  normal  humanity  ?     That  the 


LECT.  III.]  PHILOSOPHICAL    ETHICS.  83 

procedure  of  ancient  ethnic  philosophy  should 
still  to  such  an  extent  dominate  the  methods 
of  discussion  throughout  Christendom,  is  one 
of  the  singular  facts  in  the  history  of  science. 
Another  reformation  like  that  of  the  sixteenth 
century  appears  to  be  needed  to  complete  an 
emancipation  from  inadequate  and  mistaken 
methods,  and  duly  to  enthrone  the  Word  of 
God  in  the  sphere  of  moral  and  religious 
truth.  "  Aristotle,"  exclaims  Luther,  "  that 
histrionic  mountebank,  who  from  behind  a 
Greek  mask  has  so  long  bewitched  the 
church  of  Christ,  that  most  cunning  juggler 
of  souls,  whom,  if  he  had  not  been  ac- 
credited as  of  human  blood  and  bone,  we 
should  have  been  justified  in  maintaining  to 
be  a  veritable  devil !  "  With  many,  to  this 
day,  the  Stagirite  seems  to  be  a  higher 
authority  than  the  apostles.  When  the 
German  savant  Scheiner  communicated  to 
his  ecclesiastical  superior  his  discovery  of 
spots  on  the  sun  (1611),  "  I  have  read,"  was 
the  answer,  "  Aristotle  many  times  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  and  can  assure  you  that  I 


84  MISSIONARY   OBLIGATION.  [lect.  m. 

have  nowhere  found  In  him  anything  similar 
to  what  you  mention.  Go,  therefore,  my 
son,  tranqullize  yourself.  Be  assured  that 
what  you  take  for  spots  on  the  sun  are  the 
faults  of  your  glasses  or  your  eyes."  There 
Is  apparently  much  timid  deference  to  tradi- 
tional methods  on  the  part  of  many  Chris- 
tian men  when  they  enter  this  field.  Dr. 
Fairbairn,  late  of  Airedale  College,  now  of 
Mansfield  College,  Oxford,  says  truly:' 
"  Christian  teachers  have  never  done  even 
common  justice  to  Christian  ethics ; "  "  Chris- 
tianity Is  full  of  untouched  ethical  riches; 
its  mines  of  moral  teaching  are  almost  un- 
wrought.  In  the  person,  words,  and  work 
of  Christ,  in  his  Ideas  of  God's  Fatherhood 
and  man's  brotherhood,  In  his  Spirit,  In  the 
spirit  he  created  in  his  disciples.  In  the 
words  and  deeds  of  his  apostles,  there  lie 
seams  of  the  finest  wealth."  So  far  as  the 
colleges  and  high  schools  of  our  country 
are  concerned,  It  Is  gratifying  that  a  revolt 

» The  City  of  God,  pages  29,  30. 


LECT.  III.]  PHILOSOPHICAL   ETHICS.  85 

against  Paley,  formerly  almost  the  only 
text-book,  has  taken  place.  His  utilitarian 
theory,  which  for  a  good  while  went  well- 
nigh  unchallenged,  finds  but  few  defenders 
in  the  professor's  desk  today.'  The  time 
must  come  when,  in  this  class  of  works, 
the  testimony  of  God,  the  only  unbiassed 
witness,  will  not  be  left  out  of  account. 
Unaided  by  his  Word,  never  will  it  be 
determined  what  is  the  greatest  good.  The 
sacred  Scriptures  must  yet  be  recognized 
among  Christian  men  as  ultimate  authority 
in  ethics.  As  well  might  writers  on  physics 
discard  gravitation.  What  propriety  is  there 
in  theists  treating  of  obligation  after  the 
manner  of  atheistical  materialists  ?  or  believ- 
ers in  Christianity  doing  it  in  the  style  of 
mere  theists  ?  Let  the  speculative  potsherds 
of  earth  strive  with  one  another,  but  let 
evangelical  authors  no  longer  practically 
disown  inspired  testimony. 


'Appendix,  note  15. 


86  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  hi. 


WRITINGS    ON    CASUISTRY. 

It  will  attract  your  notice  that  in  those 
periods  of  church  history  when  ethical 
writings  were  largely  devoted  to  casuistry, 
and  in  works  treating  of  that  theological 
discipline,  Libri  Pcenitentiales,  which  give 
lists  of  classified  sins,  you  nowhere  find 
mention  of  failure  in  duties  to  the  unevan- 
2:elized.  This  is  true  of  Eno:lish  writers,  as 
William  Perkins's  "  The  Whole  Treatise  of 
Cases  of  Conscience  "  (1602),  "  The  Morning 
Exercises  at  Cripple  Gate," '  William  Ames's 
"  De  Conscientia  et  ejus  Jure  vel  Casibus," 
(1630),  and  Bishop  Sanderson's  "  Nine  Cases 
of  Conscience  "(1678).  Nor  is  it  less  true 
with  most  of  the  German  Protestant  writers 
in  the  same  department,  as  may  be  seen,  for 
instance,  upon  an  examination  of  "  Tractatio 
de  Casibus  Conscientiae,"  by  Frederick  Bald- 


*  Cases  of  Conscience:  The  Morning  Exercises  at  Cripple  Gate 
(1661).  Fourth  Edition.  London,  1677.  Twenty-eight  topics 
discussed,  but  no  reference  to  missions. 


LECT.  m.]  EDIFICATORY    WRITINGS.  87 

win,  a  Lutheran  divine  of  the  seventeenth 

century. 

EDIFICATORY    WRITINGS. 

The  domain  of  moral  philosophy  and  the 
department  of  religious  culture  are  conter- 
minous;  indeed  they  overlap.  These  inter- 
secting circles  render  it  quite  natural  to  cast 
an  eye  toward  the  literature  on  Christian 
edification  ;  indeed,  it  is  a  demand  of  our 
subject.  All  that  can  now  be  done,  how- 
ever, is  to  select  a  few  representative  works 
—  works  which  have  had  much  to  do  in 
shaping  religious  sentiment  and  habits,  espe- 
cially in  Protestant  Christendom.  But  we 
will  first  go  back  to  the  middle  ages  and 
take  our  departure  from  Thomas  a  Kempis 
(1380-147 1 )  and  his  De  Imitatione  Chris ti. 
This  work  has  been  more  widely  used  than 
any  other  of  the  kind.  After  it  first  ap- 
peared in  print,  i486,  not  less  than  twenty 
editions  were  demanded  before  the  next 
century,  a  period  of  fourteen  years ;  and 
since  that  time  it  has  been  translated  into 


88  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lhct.  m. 

some  of  the  dead  languages  and  into  many- 
living  tongues.  The  number  of  editions  is 
almost  countless,  only  a  part  of  which  are 
indicated  by  the  four  hundred  representative 
copies  in  the  municipal  library  at  Cologne. 
The  late  Edmund  Waterton,  by  indefati- 
gable effort,  had  brought  together  between 
eleven  hundred  and  twelve  hundred  edi- 
tions in  different  languages.  It  has  prob- 
ably been  more  read  than  any  other  book 
save  the  holy  Scriptures.  Abating  its  Ro- 
man Catholic  features,  which  are  omitted 
from  those  translations,  whether  into  Eng- 
lish and  other  languages  which  are  de- 
signed for  the  use  of  Protestants,  it  is  a 
valuable  manual.  At  the  convent  of  St. 
Agnes,  near  Zwolle,  Holland,  this  monk 
of  the  fifteenth  century  inculcated  with 
great  earnestness  some  of  the  methods  and 
evidences  of  sanctification.  The  contempla- 
tive life  is  his  ideal.  He  was  the  comforter 
of  the  fifteenth  century.  Appealing,  as  he 
does,  neither  to  the  intellect  nor  to  the 
imagination,  but  only  to  the  heart,  he  can 


LECT.  III.]  EDIFICATORY    WRITINGS.  89 

be  understood  by  all  classes.'  Religious 
poverty  he  accounts  no  less  valuable  than 
martyrdom.  Christian  activity  contemplates 
chiefly  a  monastic  brotherhood ;  other  social 
duties  are  scarcely  touched  upon.  The 
result  may  be  beautiful  in  a  recluse,  but 
nugatory  as  regards  the  world's  salvation. 
Useful  the  work  may  be  to  all  ministers 
and  missionaries,  but  it  would  never  make 
a  missionary.  It  could  be  regarded  as  com- 
plete only  in  case  the  whole  human  family 
were  gathered  within  the  conventual  walls 
of  Brethren  of  the  Common  Lot.  In  chap- 
ters bearing  such  titles  as  "  The  Considera- 
tion of  Hum.an  Misery,"  "  The  Small  Number 
of  Those  that  Love  the  Cross,"  we  might 
expect  to  find  aspirations  for  the  welfare  of 
heathen  nations ;  but  instead  thereof,  "  Oh, 
that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove !  for  then 
would  I  fly  away  and  be  at  rest." 

Leaving  now  the   realm   of   Latin  Chris- 
tianity and  this  very  favorable  specimen  of 

^  Vaughan's  Hours  with  the  Mystics,  b.  vi,  c.  9. 


90  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  m. 

it,  we  come  to  the  sphere  of  Teutonic  Chris- 
tianity—  to  John  Arndt  (i 555-1621)  and 
his  Vom  wahren  Chris tenthmn"^  (1605- 1609), 
"  True  Christianity."  Arndt  was  a  most 
faithful  and  earnest  preacher.  Perhaps  no 
one  of  that  period  had  such  intense  long- 
ings for  personal  sanctification  and  for  the 
revival  of  a  living  faith  in  Christ.  His 
activity  dates  at  the  close  of  the  sixteenth 
century  and  the  opening  of  the  seventeenth 
—  a  period  of  dead  German  scholasticism, 
which  naturally  arrayed  itself  against  his 
plain  utterances  of  unwelcome  truth.  The 
motto  under  the  frontispiece  of  the  work 
reads :  "  Christ  has  many  servants,  but  few 
followers."  Colleagues  and  ecclesiastical 
superiors  in  Brunswick,  where  he  labored, 
had  little  sympathy  with  a  spirit  so  de- 
cidedly evangelical.  The  asperity  of  oppo- 
sition reached  such  a  pitch  that  Osiander, 
a  professor  at  the  University  of  Tubingen 
(1624),  charged   the   books  with  advocating 

'  Appendix,  note  i6. 


LKCT.  III.]  EDIFICATORY    WRITINGS.  9 1 

popery,  monachism,  fanaticism,  Pelaglanism, 
and  Weigelianism.  Corvinus  uttered  a  de- 
nunciation, declaring  that  "  he  did  not  desire 
to  go  after  death  to  the  place  where  Arndt 
would  be" — a  desire  which  may  possibly 
have  been  gratified.  On  the  other  hand, 
Glassius,  general  superintendent  in  Gotha, 
averred,  "  Whoever  does  not  relish  Arndt 
has  certainly  lost  his  spiritual  appetite." 
The  iron-clad  Lutheranism  of  the  day  could 
not  be  expected  to  relish  earnest  insistance 
upon  a  thorough  conversion  and  experimen- 
tal piety.  There  was  in  Arndt  a  touch  of 
the  Old  Testament  prophet,  and  yet  a  pre- 
dominance of  johannean  spirituality  and  the 
grace  of  intimate,  joyful  fellowship  with 
Christ.  The  formalism  of  worldly-minded 
preachers,  and  the  religious  blindness  of 
unconverted  theological  students,  paid  him 
the  same  compliment  of  abuse  that  was 
paid  to  Whitefield  and  the  Wesleys  a  cent- 
ury and  a  half  later.  His  work  True  Chris- 
tianity, having  been  issued  in  successive  in- 
stallments, contains  repetitions;  and  but  for 


92  MISSIONARY   OBLIGATION.  [lect.  m. 

the  fact  that  Protestantism  then  needed  a 
revival  scarcely  less  than  Romanism  a  cent- 
ury before  needed  Reformation,  this  writ- 
ing of  Arndt  might  be  called  prolix.  One 
reason  for  its  great  popularity  was  the  scar- 
city of  such  works  at  that  time,  as  was  the 
case  in  England  when  Wilberforce  wrote 
his  Practical  View.  Edition  after  edition 
was  quickly  called  for;  it  was  translated 
into  Latin,  into  nearly  all  the  languages  of 
Europe,  and  by  the  Halle  missionaries  into 
Tamil.  Scarcely  any  other  work  of  a  de- 
votional character,  except  that  of  Thomas  a 
Kempis,  has  ever  had  equal  popularity  in 
palace  and  cottage.  Singularly  it  found  its 
way  into  the  Papal  Church,  an  edition  being 
published  (1734)  with  the  author's  name  dis- 
guised. When  Professor  Anthon,  of  Halle, 
asked,  in  the  library  of  the  Jesuits  at  Madrid, 
for  their  best  Asceticus,  the  librarian  showed 
him  a  copy  of  Arndt  —  the  preface  as  well 
as  conclusion  gone  —  and  pronounced  that 
more  edifying  than  all  others.  Arndt  was 
familiar  with  the  better  class  of  mediaeval 


LECT.  III.]  EDIFICATORY    WRITINGS.  93 

mystics,  Bernard,  Thomas  a  Kempis,  and 
Tauler.  He  had  been  influenced  by  them  ; 
but  he  held  views  better  balanced  and  more 
scriptural.  He  exerted  much  influence  in 
preparing  the  way  for  an  improved  condi- 
tion of  things  toward  the  close  of  the  seven- 
teenth century.  He  had  much  influence  on 
Spener,  the  father  of  Pietism,  the  Doddridge 
of  his  period  in  Germany.  At  that  time 
the  True  Christianity  was  almost  a  solitary 
work  on  practical  religion  which  the  Lu- 
theran Church  could  offer.  Thousands  were 
aw^akened  and  edified  by  it.'  While  it  ad- 
vocated more  of  practical  activity  in  Chris- 
tian life  and  had  an  indirect  ministry  of 
preparation  for  the  missionary  developments 
witnessed  in  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  we  must  still  confess  that  this  valu- 
able essay,  like  all  previous  essays  of  the 
kind,  deals  too  exclusively  with  individual 
needs,  and  has  too  little  regard  for  social 
virtue  and  the  claims  of  an  asr^ressive  be- 

*  Appendix,  note  17. 


94  MISSIONARY   OBLIGATION.  [lbct.  iil 

nevolence.  In  chapters  on  love  to  our 
neighbor  and  on  the  Lord's  Prayer,  as  else- 
where, we  search  in  vain  for  indications 
that  the  deeply  pious  author  entertained  any 
adequate  thought  concerning  unevangelized 
nations,  which  is  all  the  more  noteworthy 
as  the  title  announces  a  treatment  of  the 
"  whole  duty  of  man  towards  God."  As  if 
that  can  be  a  complete  Christianity  that  dis- 
regards one  of  the  chief  ends  for  which 
Christianity  has  been  founded. 

This  title  reminds  us  of  an  English  author, 
kindred  in  spirit  and  excellence  to  Arndt, 
who  was  born  just  a  century  after  the  death 
of  that  pious  German  (1724),  the  Rev.  Henry 
Venn,  father  of  John  Venn  of  Clapham,  who 
was  largely  instrumental  in  the  formation  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and  grand- 
father of  Henry  Venn,  its  late  able  secretary. 
Valuable  though  his  book  is,  its  title,  "  The 
Complete  Duty  of   Man"'  (1763),  must  be 


^  Or,  A  System  of  Doctrinal  and  Practical  Christianity.     Lon« 
don :  Religious  Tract  Society. 


LECT.  III.]  EDIFICATORY    WRITINGS.  95 

pronounced  altogether  too  comprehensive 
if  we  owe  any  duties  to  the  heathen  world. 
Resfardinor  the  obli2:ation  of  foreisjn  evan- 
gelism,  Venn  is  as  silent  as  Arndt,  and 
nearly  as  oblivious  as  Thomas  a  Kempis. 

Not  least  at  fault  is  an  eminent  writer 
of  the  English  Church  in  the  preceding 
century,  still  much  admired,  Jeremy  Taylor 
(1613-1667).  We  look  through  \\m  Dice  tor 
Dubitantium^  a  treatise  on  casuistry  —  the 
most  extensive  of  its  kind  in  our  language, 
a  wearisome  labyrinth  of  cases  of  conscience 
—  but  nowhere  amidst  the  exuberance  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty-six  rules  do  we  meet 
with  a  single  one  concerning  obedience  to 
Christ's  last  command ;  nor  among  the  mul- 
titudinous written  prayers  scattered  through 
his  works  do  we  light  upon  one  in  behalf 
of  the  great  ungathered  harvest.  Turning 
to  "  Rules  for  the  Practice  of  Prayer,"  we 
discover  none  touching  the  advancement  of 
Christ's  kingdom.  In  his  three  sermons  on 
"  The  Miracles  of  the  Divine  Mercy"— the 
most   eloquent    of    his    discourses  —  God's 


96  MISSIONARY   OBLIGATION.  [lhct.  hl 

provisions  and  commands  relating  to  pagan 
nations  are  passed  over  in  silence.  The 
learned  prelate,  notwithstanding  some  vivid 
pictures  of  excellence,  dwells  disproportion- 
ately on  gloomy  topics  —  sorrow,  emptiness 
of  the  world,  and  death  —  topics  not  duly 
relieved  by  more  joyful  themes.  Nor  are 
the  exhortations  based  clearly  on  the  fun- 
damental doctrines  of  the  gospel.  His  own 
habits  were  ascetic,  and  a  certain  Roman 
Catholic  tendency  pervaded  his  style  of  reli- 
gious thought. 

A  score  of  years  after  the  decease  of 
Bishop  Taylor,  was  born  William  Law 
(1686),  a  nonjuring  clergyman,  a  tutor  in 
the  family  of  his  relative  Edward  Gibbon, 
father  of  the  historian.  Law  was  a  saintly 
man  who  lived  a  retired  life,  much  devoted 
to  local  benevolence.  He  had  no  little  in- 
fluence on  the  Wesleys,  though  a  breach 
between  them  occurred  afterwards.  He 
became  an  ardent  student  of  Jacob  Bohme, 
and  there  is  a  trace  of  mysticism  in  most 
of  his  writings.     Of  these,  the  best  known 


LKCT.  iii.i  EDIFICATORY  WRITINGS.  97 

is  A  Serious  Call  to  a  Devout  and  Holy  Life. 
Its  style  is  clear  and  vigorous ;  various  char- 
acters are  vividly-  depicted,  and  "  many  of 
his  portraits,"  says  Gibbon,  "are  not  un- 
worthy of  the  pen  of  La  Bruyere."  No 
other  English  writer,  of  that  day,  on  prac- 
tical Christianity  has  been  so  generally 
commended.  Men  as  unlike  as  Wesley, 
Doddridge,  and  Macaulay  praise  him.  The 
Serious  Call  used  to  be  ranked  next  to 
Pilgrims  Progress  in  the  esteem  of  pious 
readers.  It  exerted  a  quickening  influence 
on  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  who  pronounced 
it  the  finest  piece  of  hortatory  theology  in 
our  language.  The  title-page  announces 
that  the  book  is  "  adapted  to  the  state  and 
condition  of  all  orders  of  Christians ;  "  and 
turning  to  Chapter  xx,  which  enforces  uni- 
versal love  as  the  subject  of  prayer  at  a 
certain  hour  of  the  day,  we  find  that  the 
author  has  in  mind  under  the  term  universal, 
not  Pagans,  Mohammedans,  Jews,  but  only 
all  classes  of  men  with  whom  one  is  more 
immediately   conversant.      If    the    heathen 


98  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  m. 

had  any  place  in  his  thoughts,  there  is  no 
suggestion  as  to  the  duty  of  reaching  them, 
or  any  practical  method  of  doing  so.  And 
thus  has  it  been  immemorially  in  the  great 
body  of  religious  writings. 

From  the  Established  Church  we  pass 
into  the  ranks  of  English  Dissent  and  glance 
at  a  single  writer,  Philip  Doddridge  (1702- 
1 751),  a  faithful,  earnest,  and  devout  preacher 
and  theological  teacher.  Living  in  an  age 
of  religious  frost  he  made  it  the  aim  of  all 
his  writings  to  quicken  spiritual  life.  Quite 
in  advance  of  English  ministers  of  that 
period,  and  quite  in  advance  of  any  writer 
who  preceded  him,  whether  in  the  establish- 
ment or  not,  Doddridge  interested  himself 
in  the  subject  of  evangelizing  the  heathen. 
He  contributed  generously  toward  the  pub- 
lication of  religious  books  in  the  Welsh 
language,  as  well  as  to  the  society  in 
Scotland  for  promoting  religion  in  North 
America,  of  which  institution  he  was  a 
corresponding  member.  He  wrote  a  dedi- 
cation of  the  missionary  Brainerd's  journal 


LBCT.  in.]  EDIFICATORY   WRITINGS.  99 

to  the  Honorable  Society  for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge.  To  him  belongs 
the  credit  of  having  set  on  foot  (1741)  the 
first  Congregational  Missionary  Association 
in  Great  Britain.  It  was  not  strange  then 
that  when,  four  years  later  (1745),  he  began 
writing  The  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in 
the  Soul  he  should  exhibit  proofs  of  interest 
in  that  cause.  In  Chapter  xxviii,  under 
this  title,  "  The  Christian  Urged  to  Exert 
Himself  for  the  Purposes  of  Usefulness," 
we  find  exhortations  and  aspirations  such 
as  these :  "  Appropriate,  I  beseech  you,  some 
certain  part  and  proportion  of  your  state 
and  revenue  to  charitable  uses ;  with  a  pro- 
visional increase,  as  God  shall  prosper  you, 
in  any  extraordinary  instance."  "  And  while 
you  are  so  abundantly  satisfied  with  the 
goodness  of  God  s  house,  even  of  his  holy 
temple,  have  compassion  on  those  that  dwell 
in  a  desert  land ;  and  rejoice  to  do  some- 
thing towards  sending  the  gospel  among 
the  distant  nations  of  the  heathen  world.'" 

^Miscellaneous  W^orks.     London,  1839.     Pages  102-106. 


lOO  MISSIONARY   OBLIGATION.  [lbct.  hi. 

This  work  has  been  rendered  into  nearly 
all  the  languages  of  Europe  and  into  some 
of  the  languages  of  Asia.  It  is  not  to  be 
pronounced  faultless.  It  is  liable  to  be 
understood  as  making  the  approach  to  the 
cross  of  Christ  needlessly  long  and  labori- 
ous. It  fails  in  not  setting  forth,  after  the 
New  Testament's  style,  the  sin  of  delay,  and 
in  not  urging  the  duty  of  immediate  repent- 
ance. But  in  the  line  we  are  now  speaking 
of  it  was  an  exceptional  work,  one  which 
has  been  blessed  to  the  conversion  and  spirit- 
ual quickening  of  thousands.  Memorable 
among  such  is  the  case  of  William  Wilber- 
force.  Falling  into  the  hands  of  that  states- 
man it  marked  the  most  important  crisis  in 
his  religious  history;  it  led  to  Practical 
Christianity  from  his  pen ;  it  led  to  his  phil- 
anthropic life,  and  to  his  interest  in  foreign 
missions. 

Because  it  seems  to  be  a  phenomenon  in 
church  history  that  one  of  the  plainest, 
broadest  fields  of  obligation  should  for  ages 
have  had  either  no  place  at  all  or  only  the 


LBCT.  m.]  SACRED    SCRIPTURE.  lOI 

scantiest  allowance  in  treatises  on  morals 
and  kindred  subjects,  I  have  dwelt  the  more 
fully  on  this  theme.  And  because  I  am 
addressing  young  men  whose  course  of 
study  and  thought  will,  through  life,  con- 
stantly relate  directly  or  indirectly  to  these 
matters,  I  have  gone  the  more  into  a  detailed 
mention  of  certain  writers  and  writings. 
During  the  last  three  quarters  of  a  century 
there  has  been,  as  already  acknowledged, 
some  improvement  in  one  of  the  two  depart- 
ments under  review,  that  of  moral  philos- 
ophy. In  the  other,  which  relates  imme- 
diately to  religious  culture  and  the  wider 
range  of  social  duties,  a  yet  more  encourag- 
ing improvement  has  been  begun.  It  is 
now  in  progress,  but  room  for  further  prog- 
ress is  still  ample.  May  you  contribute  to 
its  advancement. 

SACRED     SCRIPTURE. 

The  aim,  the  scope,  the  principles,  the 
obstacles,  and  the  results  yet  future  of  that 
reign    which    Immanuel    is    conducting    on 


I02  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  m. 

earth  can  be  satisfactorily  learned  only  from 
his  Word  and  from  actual  development 
under  his  administration.  The  philosophy 
and  history  of  missions  must  be  studied  in 
a  Bible  class  on  the  way  to  Emmaus.  That 
is  the  true  peripatetic  school  whence  all 
disciples  have  need  to  graduate ;  but  most 
needful  is  It  for  one  who  stands  forth  in  any 
land  as  a  herald  of  the  great  King.  He,  of 
all  men,  should  be  assured  that  this  book  of 
statutes  is  no  less  direct  from  heaven  than 
if  the  divine  hand  were  now  visibly  tracing 
its  lines,  and  that  therein  is  the  Magna 
Charta  of  Christian  missions.  Emphatically 
it  is  demanded  of  the  preacher  that  he  be 
familiar  with  every  syllable  the  Master  utters, 
feeding  upon  its  minuter  as  well  as  ampler 
portions.  Manna  is  none  the  less  from 
heaven  because  in  the  form  and  size  of 
coriander  seed.  The  preacher  in  the  pul- 
pit, the  secretary  at  the  missionary  rooms, 
the  missionary  in  the  field  abroad,  may  each, 
with  Augustine,  say:  Nee  ego  te,  nee  tu  me, 
sed  ambo  audiamus  Christum,     "  If  I  make 


r.ECT.  m.]  SACRED    SCRIPTURE.  IO3 

up  my  mind,"  said  Dr.  Duff,  "for  a  great 
principle  based  on  the  Bible,  I  don't  care 
for  all  the  emperors  of  the  world." '  Of  the 
same  mind  was  a  fellow  countryman  of  his, 
Dr.  John  Erskine,  an  earlier  though  unsuc- 
cessful advocate  of  foreign  missions.  In 
the  year  1796  that  subject  was  before  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land. After  an  elaborate  speech  from  an 
opponent  of  missions  to  the  heathen,  the 
venerable  Erskine  rose  and  said  :  "  Modera- 
tor, rax  me  that  Bible."  Taking  the  book, 
he  read  passages  setting  forth  the  missionary 
labors  of  the  apostle  Paul.  A  more  impress- 
ive argument  could  not  have  been  adduced. 
In  all  discussions  on  the  subject  every  dis- 
putant may  well  say,  "  Rax  me  that  Bible." 
To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony.  If  they 
speak  not  according  to  this  word  it  is  be- 
cause there  Is  no  light  in  them. 


*  Smith's  Life  of  Alexander  Duff.     Vol.  ii,  p.  91. 


I04  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lbct.  m. 


PROPER   ATTITUDE    OF    MIND. 

Allow  me,  in  conclusion,  to  say  a  word 
touching  the  attitude  of  mind  appropriate 
to  such  an  investigation  —  an  investigation 
of  the  broader  claims  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
I  do  not  dwell  thus  on  the  topic  because  of 
any  supposed  special  need  in  this  institution, 
but  because  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that 
anywhere  line  upon  line  can  be  superfluous. 
Touching  matters  of  criticism  and  laws  of 
interpretation,  I  need,  of  course,  say  nothing; 
you  are  being  thoroughly  grounded  therein. 
But  grammatical,  lexical,  and  logical  study 
of  the  Word  can  never  do  all  that  is  re- 
quired. 

Even  certain  superficial  things  of  Scrip- 
ture are  discoverable  only  by  one  who  is 
honestly  desirous  of  doing  as  well  as  know- 
ing the  divine  will ;  much  more  is  this  true 
concerning  the  deep  things  of  God.  En- 
trance to  the  penetralia  of  heavenly  truth 
is  effected  by  the  heart   no  less   than   the 


LECT.  III.]         PROPER    ATTITUDE    OF    MIND.  IO5 

head.  For  a  spiritual,  a  thoroughly  practical 
apprehension  of  revealed  verities  and  duties, 
liorht  must  shine  on  the  soul  from  the  same 
source  whence  came  the  subject  matter  it- 
self. Such  illumination  is  as  needful  as  a 
good  light  for  any  masterpiece  on  canvas. 
Unless  a  breath  from  heaven  pass  over  them, 
dry  bones  in  the  valley  of  linguistic  and 
critical  vision  are  exceeding  dry.  Not  only 
has  the  Holy  Ghost  breathed  forth  the  lively 
oracles;  he  must  breathe  upon  the  student's 
soul.  Hence  the  divine  Author  is  needed 
as  interpreter.  A  personal  vital  relationship 
to  him  must  exist,  and  constant  devout  teach- 
ableness, if  we  would  understand  the  Bible. 
Only  where  the  functions  of  life  are  in 
exercise  do  assimilation  and  growth  take 
place;  and  unless  born  from  above,  unless 
the  vital  principle  is  habitually  nourished, 
the  modern  Teacher  of  Israel  will  be  but 
another  Nicodemus  groping  in  blindness, 
and  his  deliverances  will  be  as  juiceless  as 
those  of  mediaeval  schoolmen.  Divinely 
enlightened    listeners    to    the    preacher   in 


I06  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  m. 

Christian  lands  and  to  the  laborer  in  hea- 
then lands  will  observe  the  defect  of  spirit 
and  method.  King  Eyo,  at  Old  Calabar, 
said  to  a  Scottish  missionary :  "  I  wish  you 
would  read  more  of  God's  Word,  for  when 
you  don't  read  plenty  the  people  think  you 
saby  it  out  of  your  own  head."'  This  is 
something  quite  foreign  to  constituting  con- 
sciousness an  arbiter  coordinate  with  the 
divine  Word ;  and  yet  farther  removed  from 
erecting  consciousness  into  a  supreme  judge, 
thus  regulating  the  sun  by  our  private  time- 
piece. It  is  a  most  rational  enthronement 
of  the  sole  ultimate  authority.  Among  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  not  apprehended 
save  by  those  graciously  illuminated  are  the 
high  claims,  encouragements,  privileges,  and 
proper  methods  of  missionary  service.  Many 
a  revival,  many  an  evangelistic  movement 
has  begun  by  the  opening  of  the  eye  to 
truths  seen  but  dimly  before.     When,  under 


'  McKerrow's  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Secession  and  United 
Presbyterian  Church,  page  383. 


LECT.  III.]        PROPER    ATTITUDE    OF    MIND.  IO7 

the  Holy  Spirit's  guidance,  one  Scripture 
passage  stood  forth  clearly  to  the  apprehen- 
sion of  Luther,  the  Reformation  was  born. 
The  central  force  of  that,  as  well  as  of  every 
genuinely  Christian  movement,  was  enlight- 
ened  loyalty  to  God's  Word.  "A  thousand 
times  rather  let  the  earth  swallow  me  up," 
exclaims  Calvin,  "than  that  I  should  not 
hearken  to  the  voice  of  God's  Spirit  through 
his  prophets."  "  I  will  be  guided  by  God's 
book,"  said  Hugh  Latimer;  "and  rather 
than  dissent  from  it  I  would  be  torn  by  wild 
horses." 

While  in  matters  of  criticism  the  Bible  is 
treated  as  any  other  book,  in  one  respect  it 
should  be  treated  as  no  other  book.  It  re- 
quires for  the  mastery  of  its  contents  an 
earnestly  prayerful  frame  of  mind.  Well 
did  Origen,  when  exhorting  his  favorite 
pupil  Thaumaturgus  to  the  diligent  study 
of  Holy  Scripture,  add:  "It  is  not  enough 
for  thee  to  seek  and  to  knock;  prayer  is 
most  necessary  in  order  to  understand  divine 
things."     The  distinctive  features  of  revela- 


I08  MISSIONARY    OBLIGATION.  [lect.  m. 

tion  remain  veiled  from  the  indocile  and  the 
unbelieving.  To  such,  Christianity  is  one 
great  parable.  Even  those  enlightened  suf- 
ficiently for  personal  salvation  may  remain 
blind  to  certain  aspects  and  claims  of  the 
divine  realm.  For  more  than  a  thousand 
years  the  mass  of  Christians  saw,  and  even 
now  a  majority  of  nominal  Christians  see, 
men  only  as  trees  walking.  Men  at  a  dis- 
tance they  see  not  at  all.  By  devout  weep- 
ing, the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  who 
alone  can  do  it,  is  prevailed  upon  to  open 
the  sealed  Book.  Once  thus  opened,  what 
a  stairway  to  heaven,  what  a  treasure,  does 
it  become  to  the  convert  in  a  Christian  land 
and  to  the  convert  from  heathenism !  "  My 
brethren  and  sisters,"  said  a  native  of  one  of 
the  South  Sea  Islands,  "this  is  my  resolve: 
the  dust  shall  never  cover  my  Bible;  the 
moth  shall  never  eat  it ;  it  is  my  light,  my 
joy."  "When  I  open  my  Bible,"  said  an 
illuminated  pagan,  "  God  talks  with  me ;  and 
when  I  put  it  down  I  talk  with  God."  To 
every  young  student  of  theology  may  well 


LECT.  III.]        PROPER    ATTITUDE    OF    MIND.  IO9 

be  commended  a  prayer  of  Dr.  Chalmers  for 
the  inner  revelation  of  Christ:  "Let  me 
look  for  him  in  the  Bible.  Let  me  give 
earnest  heed  for  him  there.  Oh,  my  God, 
make  me  to  be  experimentally  acquainted 
with  this  inward,  this  spiritual  revelation. 
Cause  the  gospel  to  enter  with  power,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  much  assurance.  May 
I  see  God  in  Scripture.  May  I  plainly  dis- 
cern in  that  book  the  signatures  of  his 
authority,  and  majesty,  and  wisdom.  Oh, 
give  me  to  realize  this  precious  manifesta- 
tion myself,  and  enable  me  to  expound  it  to 
others!"' 


'Scripture  Readings,  i,  xxvii. 


LECTURE    IV. 

MINISTERIAL   PRAYER  AND 
MISSIONS. 


MINISTERIAL    PRAYER    AND 
MISSIONS. 

The  place  that  missions  should  have  in 
the  devotional  habits  of  ministers  is  our  sub- 
ject at  this  time.  The  limitation  will  be 
noticed.  We  do  not  take  up  the  general 
topic  of  prayer ;  nor  yet  prayer  as  a  highly 
important  branch  in  general  of  the  pastoral 
office.  Valuable  suggestions  on  that  subject 
may  be  found  in  such  writings  as  the  profes- 
sional treatises  of  Ernesti,  Palmer,  Watts, 
Mason,  Porter,  Humphrey,  Miller,  and  Blai- 
kie.'  It  is  only  one  section  of  practical 
theology  which  now  falls  to  our  consideration 
—  the  place  which  the  wide  advancement  of 
Messiah's  kingdom  should  have  in  every 
minister's  devotional  exercises,  public  and 
private. 


*  Appendix,  note  i8. 

(113) 


I  14     MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,  [lect.  iv. 

Of  course  it  Is  needful  that  above  all  men 
the  preacher  should  be  thoroughly  convinced 
of 

THE    EFFICACY    OF    PRAYER. 

A  pitiable  object  is  that  minister  who  has 
not  settled  It  among  his  deepest  convictions 
that  prayer  avails  to  bring  down  blessings  ; 
that  no  law  Is  more  unalterably  fixed  than 
that  God,  In  founding  the  moral  world, 
ordained  prayer  as  a  condition  precedent  to 
certain  results ;  that  while  he  never  changes 
his  will  he  is  ever  ready  to  be  moved  by 
supplication ;  that  prayer  and  its  effects 
entered  into  the  divine  fore-ordination  no 
less  than  other  agencies  with  their  train  of 
consequences ;  that  the  fore-knowledge  of  a 
petition  does  not  neutralize  its  pertinence  or 
its  Influence,  any  more  than  fore-knowledge 
concerning  other  spheres  of  human  activity. 
Has  God  shut  himself  out  of  the  world  which 
he  made  ?  Has  he  less  liberty  in  regard  to 
his  own  methods  than  man  has  ?  It  was  for 
him  to  determine  through  what  channel  ccr- 


LECT.iv.]  THE    EFFICACY    OF    PRAYER.  II5 

tain  benefits  should  flow,  and  it  pleased  him 
so  to  construct  and  administer  the  spiritual 
universe  that  devout  desires  of  suppliants 
should  have  influence  with  him  ;  and  further, 
that  this  should  come  under  the  reign  of 
law  equally  with  every  other  arrangement. 
We  repeat,  the  design  of  prayer  is  not  to 
change  the  mind  of  God,  but  because  he  is 
unchangeably  disposed  to  answer  prayer,  it 
avails.  To  suspend  its  efflcacy  would  re- 
quire a  miracle.  What  is  the  reign  of  law 
but  the  reign  of  the  law-giver  —  his  present, 
constant  activity?  Petitioners  have  encour- 
agement because  foreknown  free  acts  of 
creatures  entered  into  the  divine  scheme  of 
creation  and  providence.  There  is  sure 
ground  then  for  the  belief  that  in  this  way 
blessings  are  to  be  obtained  which  otherwise 
could  not  be  obtained ;  that  we  have  more 
reason  to  look  for  answers  from  our  Heavenly 
Father  than  from  an  earthly  parent.  God  is 
a  father,  not  an  engine.  Man  too  is  a  vol- 
untary agent,  not  a  machine.  While  I  am 
free    he  works  in  me  and  by  me,  and  that 


I  1 6     MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,  [lect.  iv. 

not  to  alter  but  to  carry  on  his  established 
order  of  things.  There  are  physical  neces- 
sities, and  there  are  moral  contingencies; 
we  have  to  deal  with  a  person,  not  a  cosmic 
force  or  any  mere  abstraction.'  Manifold 
influences  at  work  are  subtle  and  mysterious, 
but  from  no  one  spring  of  energy  or  of 
restraint  is  the  divine  hand  ever  withdrawn. 
Of  that  hand  the  prayer  of  faith  lays  hold ; 
and  an  effect,  which  may  seem  to  be  innova- 
tion, comes  only  in  the  line  of  utmost  con- 
sistency on  the  part  of  him  who  framed  the 
universe,  who  saw  the  end  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  who  conducts  the  whole  with 
supreme  harmony.  To  maintain  that  simply 
a  reflex  benefit  may  be  expected,  cuts  the 
sinews  of  all  prayer.  To  ask  God  for 
humility  simply  because  asking  thus  tends 
to  make  one  humble  ;  to  ask  for  temporal 
benefits  merely  as  an  incitement  to  greater 
effort  in  obtaining  them  ourselves,  is  a 
species  of  ceremonious  impertinence.    Main- 

*  Appendix,  note  19. 


LBCT.  IV.]  THE    EFFICACY    OF    PRAYER.  I  1 7 

taining  that  view  a  man  really  ranges  himself 
on  the  side  of  skepticism,  and  on  that  wing 
of  speculative  infidelity  which  calls  for 
scientific  tests,  which  would  set  us  to  seek- 
ing, by  quantitative  determination,  how 
much  value  there  is  in  prayer,  and  whether 
such  a  thing  as  special  providence  exists  at 
all.  It  should,  of  course,  be  kept  in  mind 
that  prayer  may  be  effective  though  answers 
are  not  immediate ;  that  on  the  part  of  God, 
to  delay  is  not  the  same  as  to  deny.  If  our 
timepieces  are  set  too  far  forward,  will  the 
sun  make  haste  to  overtake  them  ? 

Now,  the  religious  teacher  needs,  before 
all  other  men,  to  be  freed  from  metaphysical 
embarrassments  on  this  subject ;  needs  to  be 
convinced  that  in  answering  petitions  the 
Lord  our  God  does  not  change  his  will,  but 
carries  out  his  decree ;  that  he  thus  makes 
no  variation  in  his  plan  of  government,  for 
such  is  his  plan  ;  that  he  answers  because  he 
adheres  to  his  purposes ;  that  if  laws  are 
inflexible,  it  is  an  inflexible  law  that  prayer 
has  power;  and  that  whatever  makes  against 


Il8    MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS.  C 


LECT.   IV. 


this,  makes  equally  for  fatalism.  I  repeat, 
the  minister,  as  a  man  of  God,  with  preemi- 
nent responsibilities  concerning  the  advance- 
ment of  Christ's  kingdom,  is  one  who 
should  fortify  himself  impregnably  regard- 
ing the  glorious  fact  now  in  hand.  The 
great  Adversary  will  specially  assail  him  in 
order  to  darken  and  contract  his  sphere  of 
faith.  A  great  victory  will  it  be  if  the  pow- 
ers of  darkness  can  induce  a  leader  of  the 
people  to  go  down  into  Egypt  instead  of 
going  up  to  heaven  for  help.  More  malig- 
nant skill  will  be  put  forth  to  arrest  interces- 
sion than  in  any  other  line  of  satanic 
strategy.  "  Who  are  all  those  unarmed 
men  ?  "  asked  Ethelfred,  the  Anglican  chief, 
as  he  saw  over  a  thousand  Britons  from  the 
great  monastery  of  Bangor.  "  Monks,"  was 
the  reply,  "  brought  thither,  after  a  three 
days'  fast,  to  pray  for  success  on  their  coun- 
try's arms."  "  These,"  rejoined  Ethelfred,  a 
true  child  of  the  devil,  "  are  active  enemies 
then,  no  less  than  others,  for  they  come  to 
fight  against    us  with    their   prayers.      Put 


LECT.  IV.]         MINISTERIAL  RESPONSIBILITY.  II 9 

them  to  the  sword  ; "  and  slaughtered  they 
were  all  but  fifty.     (A.  D.  603.) 

SPECIAL    MINISTERIAL    RESPONSIBILITY. 

While  the  clerical  ofifice  as  such  imparts 
no  peculiar  value  to  prayer,  it  does  involve 
great  devotional  responsibilities.  Where  a 
liturgy  is  imposed,  it  sets  limits  indeed  to 
the  public,  though  not  to  the  private  duty  of 
one  who  ofKiciates.  The  prayer  book  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  of  England,  as  w^ell  as  that 
of  the  United  States,  presents  a  deficiency 
in  regard  to  our  present  topic.  We  have 
not  far  to  look  for  the  cause.  It  originated 
at  a  time  and  has  been  revised  at  times 
when  the  scope  of  our  Saviour's  last  com- 
mand was  but  poorly  apprehended. '  True, 
a  repetition  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  takes  place 
with  sufhcient  frequency;  but  the  question 
arises  whether  such  iteration,  with  so  little 
else  to  interpret  its  earlier  petitions,  so  little 
that  specially  harmonizes  with  them,  tends 

^  Sere  Church  Missionary  Intelligencer,  vol.  ix  (1884),  543-548. 


I  20    MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,  [lbct.  iv. 

very  much  to  give  breadth  of  conception 
and  desire.  The  petition  for  all  sorts  and 
conditions  of  men  does  not  indeed  exclude 
unevangelized  nations,  but  is  there  any 
reason  to  suppose  that  it  includes  them,  or 
was  designed  to  extend  beyond  national 
bounds  ?  Other  references  to  the  subject 
are  merely  incidental.'  Within  the  present 
century  the  churches  referred  to  have 
aroused,  in  some  good  degree,  to  their  evan- 
gelistic obligations;  but  their  spirit  is  in 
advance  of  the  prayer  book.  Psalmody  ac- 
commodates itself  to  the  rising  tide  of 
missionary  interest  more  readily  than  the 
liturgy,  which  has  need  of  revision  and 
enlargement.  The  defects  now  referred  to 
must  have  been  one  occasion  for  the  ap- 
pointment, though  not  by  church  authority, 
of  special  seasons  of  supplication,  and  for 
preparing  special  forms  and  other  auxilia- 
ries.^    Hence  Wilkinson's   Thoughts,  How's 

*  Appendix,  note  20. 

*  Appendix,  note  21. 


LECT.iv.]         MINISTERIAL    RESPONSIBILITY.  121 

Suggestions,  the  Cuddesdon  Manual,  Mission- 
ary Prayers  for  Private  Use,  and  a  Manual 
used  in  the  chapel  of  the  Gospel  Propaga- 
tion Society.  Such  are  some  of  the  helps 
provided  by  clergymen  of  the  Establishment 
who,  from  their  own  felt  need,  have  been 
led  thus  to  supply  in  some  measure  the  lack 
of  service  in  the  prayer  book.  The  Agenda 
of  established  Protestant  churches  in  Ger- 
many also  are  deficient,  though  in  the  king- 
dom of  Prussia  there  is  a  prescribed  prayer 
for  missions  every  Lord's  Day.'  Evangeli- 
cal Christians  have,  however,  provided  them- 
selves with  liturgical  helps  for  use  in  con- 
nection with  missionary  topics,  whether  on 
the  Lord's  Day  or  on  special  occasions  at 
other  times.'' 

The  Moravian  Church,  perhaps  beyond 
any  other,  is  a  church  of  intercessors,  and 
her  ministry  encourages  and  exemplifies  a 
devout  remembrance  of  mission  work.     The 


Appendix,  note  22. 
Appendix,  note  23. 


122    MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,  [lect.  iv. 

ritual  of  the  United  Brethren  is  brief,  and 
undergoes  revision  by  the  General  Synod 
whenever  called  for.  With  the  exception  of 
the  Lord's  Day  morning  service,  extempore 
prayer  is  offered.  In  the  litany  prescribed 
for  Sunday  morning  service  are  petitions 
like  these :  "  Prosper  the  endeavors  of  all 
thy  servants  to  spread  the  gospel  among 
heathen  nations.  Accompany  the  word  of 
their  testimony  concerning  the  atonement, 
with  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
power."  "  Bless  the  congregations  gathered 
from  the  Negroes,  Greenlanders,  Indians, 
Hottentots,  and  Esquimaux.  Keep  them  as 
the  apple  of  thine  eye.  Have  mercy  on  thy 
ancient  covenant  people,  the  Jews ;  deliver 
them  from  blindness,  and  bring  all  nations 
to  the  saving  knowledge  of  thee.  Hear  us, 
gracious  Lord  and  God."  Will  any  one  say 
that  the  extension  of  Christ's  kingdom 
among  the  heathen  holds  too  prominent  a 
place  in  the  public  worship  of  the  Unitas 
Fratrum,  or  in  the  more  private  thoughts 
and  prayers  of  her  preachers  and  laity  .f* 


LKCT.iv.]        MINISTERIAL    RESPONSIBILITY.  1 23 

Where  neither  forms  are  prescribed,  nor 
pre-composed  prayers  generally  used,  the  way 
is  open  for  all  the  liberty  in  selecting  topics 
that  one  can  desire.  Proportionate  to  that 
freedom  is  the  responsibility  of  the  position^ 
It  would  seem  not  to  be  sufficiently  consid- 
ered by  men  in  the  pulpit  generally  that  their 
devotional  exercises  are  far  from  being  of 
secondary  importance.  It  should  not  be  for- 
gotten that,  along  with  the  immediate  office 
of  leading  the  supplication  and  thanksgiving 
of  an  assembly,  the  pastor  exerts  an  inci- 
dental influence  of  no  small  moment.  His 
habits  in  prayer  tend  to  shape  the  habits  of 
the  congregation.  His  language,  his  sub- 
jects, his  spirit,  will,  to  some  extent,  be 
adopted.  He  is  all  the  while  conducting 
unconsciously  a  normal  school  of  devotion. 
Narrowness  and  uniformity  on  his  part  are 
likely  to  be  reproduced  among  those  to  whom 
he  ministers ;  so  too,  breadth,  copiousness, 
and  fervor. 


124   MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,  [lect.  iv. 


PROFESSIONAL   TRAINING    DEFECTIVE. 

No  function  of  the  ministerial  office  is 
entitled  to  more  careful  attention  than  this.' 
We  will  continue  steadfastly  in  prayer,  was 
the  apostolic  purpose.  Among  Paul's  thir- 
teen Epistles  there  are  but  two  —  those  to 
the  Galatians  and  Titus  —  in  which  there 
occurs  no  express  assurance  of  a  devout  re- 
membrance on  his  part.  In  every  chapter 
of  his  second  letter  to  the  Thessalonians  we 
find  a  prayer.  And  often  what  earnestness : 
God  is  my  witness,  how  I  long  after  you  all 
in  the  tender  mercies  of  Christ  Jesus ;  night 
and  day  praying  exceedingly.  "  Prayer,"  says 
Massillon,  "  is  the  most  inward  and  most 
essential  duty  of  the  ministry."  ^  If  one 
should  preach  as  a  dying  man  to  dying  men, 
should  he  not  pray  as  a  dying  man  to  the 
living  God  ?  And  is  it  not  singular  that  it 
has  so  small  a  place,  and  sometimes  no  place 

*  Appendix,  note  24. 

'  Discourse  de  la  Necessite  de  la  Priere. 


LECT.iv]  PROFESSIONAL  TRAINING  DEFECTIVE.    I  25 

at  all,  in  the  ex  cathedra  treatment  of  pastoral 
and  pulpit  duties  ?  "  Am  I  right,"  says 
President  Humphrey,'  "  in  thinking  that  this 
branch  of  education  for  the  ministry  is  less 
attended  to  than  its  importance  demands  ? 
I  confess  that  it  appears  that  many  of  our 
young  ministers  preach  much  better  than 
they  pray."  "  Are  there  not  found,"  inquires 
Dr.  Samuel  Miller,^  "those  from  whom 
something  better  might  be  expected,  who 
habitually  perform  this  part  of  their  pulpit 
work  in  a  commonplace,  slovenly,  and  uned- 
ifying  manner  ?  " 

On  the  score  of  consistent  and  concen- 
trated purpose,  it  may  be  that  our  schools  of 
the  prophets  have  something  to  learn  from 
Islam.  At  the  great  Mohammedan  mission- 
ary university  in  the  mosque  of  Azhar,  in 
Cairo,  whose  six  or  eight  thousand  students 
are  assembled  from  all  parts  of  the  Moham- 
medan world,  studying  the  Koran,  and  pre- 


*  Letters,  page  162. 

^  Thoughts  on  Prayer,  page  24. 


126     MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,  [lect.  iv. 

paring  to  teach  it  throughout  Asia  and 
Africa,  a  prayer  is  offered  every  evening  in 
which  the  whole  company  unite.  It  runs 
thus :  "  O  Lord  of  all  creatures,  O  Allah ! 
destroy  the  infidels  and  polytheists,  thine 
enemies,  the  enemies  of  the  religion !  O 
Allah!  make  their  children  orphans  and 
defile  their  abodes !  Cause  their  feet  to 
slip;  give  them  and  their  families,  their 
households  and  their  women,  their  children, 
and  their  relations  by  marriage,  their  broth- 
ers and  their  friends,  their  possessions  and 
their  race,  their  wealth  and  their  lands,  as 
booty  to  the  Moslems,  O  Lord  of  all  creat- 
ures." '  Its  very  truculency  is  a  faithful  ex- 
ponent of  Mohammedanism ;  and  the  cir- 
cumstances of  its  use  are  impressively  sug- 
gestive. 

LITERATURE    OF  PRAYER    DEFECTIVE. 

Defects  in  the  literature  of  this  general 
subject  will  in  part  account  for  the  deficiency 
we    are    now    considering.     From    the    first 

*  Jessup's  Mohammedan  Missionary  Problem,  pages  31,  32. 


LECT.  iv.j  LITERATURE  OF  PRAYER  DEFECTIVE.     I  27 

treatise  on  prayer  ever  written,  so  far  as  is 
known,  that  by  Origen,  -£fn  evxm,  in  the  fourth 
century,  onward,  among  the  writings  of  the 
church  fathers,  Tertullian,  Cyprian,  Clement 
of  Alexandria,  Basil  the  Great,  Gregory  of 
Nyssa,  Chrysostom,  Augustine,  almost  noth- 
ing that  relates  to  this  topic  is  to  be  found. 
Even  in  a  work  of  the  last  century  by  Benja- 
min Bennet,'  which  numbers  over  seven  hun- 
dred pages,  on  the  "  Devotion  of  the  Closet 
Displayed,"  nowhere  is  there  mention  of  the 
unevangelized  nations.  Thirteen  pages  (604- 
17)  are  devoted  to  what  is  called  a  specimen 
prayer,  exhibiting  all  the  parts  of  a  com- 
plete prayer  in  their  proper  order,  designed 
chiefly  for  the  assistance  of  young  persons 
and  for  their  direction  in  the  method  of 
prayer ;  but  there  is  nothing  to  suggest  that 
the  heathen  or  Mohammedan  world  is  en- 
titled to  any  thought  in  the  closet. 

One  of  the  earliest  books  of  private  devo- 
tion that  appeared  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Eliz- 


^  The  Christian  Oratory.     5ta  Edition.     London,  1757. 


I  28    MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,  [lect.  iv. 

abeth  was  that  by  Henry  Bull.'  The  prayers 
and  meditations  were  collected  from  numer- 
ous sources ;  but  in  none  of  them  does  there 
seem  to  be  any  reference  to  the  heathen 
world.  One  selection  is  entitled  "  A  Prayer 
to  God  for  His  Help  and  Protection  against 
the  Obstinate  Enemies  of  the  Truth  "  (page 
158).  When  at  the  close  we  light  upon  the 
petition  beginning  "  Grant  free  passage  to 
thy  holy  word/'  we  anticipate  a  remembrance 
of  unevano^elized  nations.  But  no ;  the  sen- 
tence  goes  on :  "  that  it  may  work  effectually 
in  us  the  work  of  life  and  blessed  hope  of  our 
salvation."  Could  the  more  than  fourscore 
books,  similar  in  some  measure,  which  had 
appeared  by  the  year  1595,  be  recovered, 
there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  they  would 
not  be  marked  by  the  same  omission. 
Among  the  written  devotions  of  Bishop 
Andrews,^  for  instance,  we  find  simply  the 

*  Christian  Prayers  and  Holy  Meditations.  Collected  by  Henry 
Bull.  [1566.]  Reprinted  for  the  Parker  Society,  Cambridge, 
1842, 

^  The  Devotions  of  Bishop  Andrews,  translated  from  the  Greek 
bv  Dean  Staahope.     New  Edition.     London,  1791. 


LBCT.  iv]   LITERATURE  OF  PRAYER  DEFECTIVE.    I  29 

following  (pages  37-39):  "O  thou  preserver 
and  lover  of  men,  think  graciously  upon 
mankind;  as  thou  hast  concluded  all  men 
under  sin  and  unbelief,  so  let  thy  pity  and 
pardon  extend  to  all."  "  Send  forth,  we 
pray  thee,  O  Lord  of  the  harvest,  laborers 
in  all  points  fitted  by  thy  grace  to  do  the 
work  of  the  harvest."  In  Bishop  Hall's 
Devotio7ts  {Y>^gQ  492)  there  is  about  the  same 
amount.  Bishop  Jeremy  Taylor's  works ' 
contain  between  five  and  six  hundred  offices, 
prayers,  collects,  composed  by  himself ;  but 
in  all  those  we  find  not  more  than  a  dozen 
instances  of  petition  that  can  fairly  be  re- 
ferred to  that  category  now  in  mind.  Even 
those  are  brief,  and  for  the  most  part  seem 
to  be  introduced  because  the  subject  matter, 
which  suggests  a  particular  prayer,  as  a 
Messianic  psalm,  forces  the  subject  upon 
attention. 

Collections   from  different   authors  natu- 
rally exhibit  similar  poverty.     Take,  for  ex- 

'  Whole  Works.     3  vols.     London,  1837. 


I  30    MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS.   Llhct.  iv. 

ample,  that  by  Joseph  Wasse,  chaplain  to 
the  Duke  of  Kent/  in  which  are  selections 
from  Laud,  Featley,  Duppa,  Whitchcot, 
Wettingal,  Collins,  Hammond,  Taylor,  Ber- 
nard, Scott,  Tillotson,  Patrick  Kettcrwell, 
Burnet,  Thomas  a  Kempis,  Stanhope,  Anet, 
Dickes,  Nelson,  Gothair,  and  others.''  In 
some  of  the  later  compilations  of  this  kind 
and  certain  original  forms  of  prayer,  it  is 
gratifying  to  witness  improvement.  This  is 
specially  true,  as  might  be  expected  from 
one  who  had  been  a  secretary  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society.  In  the  appendix  by 
Rev.  Edward  Bickersteth  to  his  treatise  on 
prayer  ^  are  several  forms  devoted  to  "  The 
Enlargement  of  Christ's  Kingdom."  Just  as 
important  as  is  the  spread  of  evangelical 
truth  among  the  nations,  with  the  Holy 
Spirit's  accompanying  influences,  so  impor- 
tant is  it  that  the  pulpit  and  the  social  meet- 
ing give  them  due  prominence  in  the  service 

*  Reformed  Devotions.     Oxford,  1719. 

^Appendix,  note  25. 

^Thirteenth  Edition.     London,  1832.     Tages  242,  296. 


LHCT.  IV.]  LITERATURE  OF  PRAYER  DEFECTIVE.    I3I 

of  prayer.  Is  any  one  qualified  for  ordina- 
tion whose  soul  is  not  aflame  with  desires 
for  the  conversion  of  men  near  at  hand,  and 
through  the  country,  and  throughout  the 
world  ?  Once  possessed  of  such  ardor,  can 
he  fail  to  show  a  devotional  enterprise  that 
will  often  carry  him  and  his  fellow  worship- 
ers to  the  mercy  seat  with  intensity  of  sup- 
plication —  supplication  in  behalf  of  mission- 
ary work  in  all  lands  ?  By  a  due  mainte- 
nance of  devotional  zeal  in  this  regard,  the 
pastor  may  accomplish  more,  through  an  in- 
direct education  of  the  people,  than  by 
formal  discourses  on  the  subject.  Lest  it 
should  seem  that  this  is  a  peculiar  and  in- 
dividual view,  let  me  quote  once  more  from 
Dr.  Miller's  Thoughts  oji  Public  Prayer:'' 
"  A  good  public  prayer  ought  always  to  in- 
clude a  strongly  marked  reference  to  the 
spread  of  the  gospel,  and  earnest  petitions 
for  the  success  of  the  means  employed  by 
the  church  for  that  purpose.     As  it  forms  a 

*  Pages  239-241. 


132    MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lect.  iv. 

large  part  of  the  duty  of  the  church  to  spread 
the  knowledge  of  the  way  of  salvation  to  all 
around  her,  and  to  send  it,  to  the  utmost  of 
her  power,  to  all  within  her  reach  who  are 
destitute  of  it,  so  she  ought  never  to  assem- 
ble without  recognizing  this  obligation,  and 
fervently  praying  for  grace  and  strength  to 
fulfill  it.  So  prominent  an  object  in  the 
church's  duty  ought  undoubtedly  to  form 
an  equally  prominent  object  in  her  prayers 
and  desires."  "  But  oh,  how  often  is  the 
reference  to  it  the  most  cursory  and  chilling 
imaginable  ;  without  point,  without  apparent 
engagedness ;  neither  manifesting  interest 
on  the  part  of  the  minister  nor  adapted  to 
beget  interest  in  his  fellow  worshipers ! " 

INDIVIDUAL    MINISTERIAL    SUPPLICATION. 

In  order  to  the  right  discharge  of  this 
intercessory  office,  the  minister  must  as  a 
Christian  man  be  joyfully  loyal  to  the  King 
of  kings,  must  have  enlarged  conceptions 
concerning  the  requirements  and  destiny  of 


LECT.  IV.]  MINISTERIAL    SUPPLICATION.  1 33 

Christ's  kingdom,  and  concerning  the  possi- 
biUties  of  his  individual  influence  at  the 
throne  of  grace.  Running  an  eye  over  the 
achievements  of  prayer  offered  by  men 
singly  as  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament,  he 
will  be  encouraged  to  attempt  great  things. 
What  noteworthy  reminders  to  him  are 
Jacob's  changed  name  and  Samuel's  Eben- 
ezer!  What  incitement  to  vast  and  vigor- 
ous entreaties  will  be  felt  as  he  reads  that 
when,  on  account  of  Israel's  complaining, 
the  fire  of  the  Lord  burnt  among  them,  it 
was  at  the  intercession  of  one  man,  Moses, 
quenched ;  and  that  when  later  he  asks 
forgiveness  for  erring  Israel,  the  response 
came :  I  have  pardoned  according  to  thy 
word ;  or  when  Samuel  at  Mizpeh  entreated 
the  Lord  to  deliver  Israel  out  of  the  hand 
of  the  Philistines,  the  Lord  heard  him  ;  or 
when  Zerah,  with  a  thousand  thousand  Ethi- 
opians, came  up  against  Judah,  Asa  cried 
unto  the  Lord,  and  the  hostile  hosts  were 
scattered ;  or  when  judgment  rested  upon 
the  people,  and  Amos  besought  the   Lord, 


I  34   MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lect.  iv. 

a  Q-racIoiis  answer  came  !  Did  not  the  con- 
fessions  and  entreaties  of  Daniel  have  to  do 
largely  with  the  restoration  of  Jerusalem? 
Did  not  Elijah  on  Carmel,  single-handed 
and  in  the  presence  of  a  great  rabble  of 
priests  and  worshipers  of  Baal,  call  down 
fire  from  heaven,  and  vindicate  the  preroga- 
tives of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  ?  Did  not 
his  prayers  alone  shut  up  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  and  then  open  them  again  ?  True, 
the  power  of  intercession  does  not  lie  in  the 
priestly  or  the  prophetic  office,  but  in  faith 
resting  on  the  word  of  him  who  cannot  lie ; 
yet  is  it  specially  incumbent  on  priest  and 
prophet  to  have  an  assurance  firm  as  the 
great  mountains,  that  individual  prayer,  his 
own  prayer,  may  have  efficacy  to  bring  dews 
of  grace  upon  mission  fields  the  other  side 
of  the  globe. 

LARGE  REQUESTS  APPROPRIATE. 

There  rises  at  once  before  us  a  magnitude 
of  objects  which  might  dishearten,  if  we  had 
not  encouragements    proportionately   great. 


LKCT.  IV.]     LARGE    REQUESTS    APPROPRIATE.  1 35 

And  who  may  be  presumed  to  be  so  familiar 
with  those  encouraQ:ements  as  the  minister? 
The  revealed  character  of  God  gives  large 
encouraofement.  If  we  knew  nothinor  fur- 
ther  than  that  his  lovino^-kindness  is  hiQ:her 
than  the  heavens,  that  he  will  have  all  men 
to  be  saved,  we  should  be  authorized  to 
expand  our  devout  desires  to  the  utmost 
bounds  of  earth,  and  to  implore  a  blessing 
on  all  methods  of  making  known  the  great 
salvation  to  every  tribe  under  heaven.  We 
might  well,  in  that  case,  beware  of  niggard 
requests ;  of  stinting  the  God  of  all  grace. 
Well  mio-ht  we  aro^ue  from  human  analos^ies 
in  favor  of  amplest  petitions.  Does  not  true 
royalty  delight  in  munificence  ?  Did  not 
Alexander  the  Great  bestow  a  regal  gift  on 
one  of  his  subjects,  saying,  "  I  give  this  not 
because  thou  art  worthy,  but  because  I  give 
like  Alexander  "  ?  Magnificent  generosity  on 
the  part  of  the  Lord  our  God  is  just  like 
Jehovah.  Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  do 
exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask 
or  think  —  and  is  he  less  willing  than  able  ? 


I  36   MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lect.  iv 

The  revealed  purposes  and  promises  of 
God  concerning  the  future  of  his  kingdom 
authorize  large  requests.  Throughout  his 
Word  there  are  intimations  of  his  pleasure 
that  all  nations  should  have  the  gospel  com- 
municated to  them.  Most  evidently  are  we 
to  contemplate  the  farthest  limits  of  man- 
kind in  our  intercessions.  The  largeness  of 
God's  love  has  an  exponent  in  the  largeness 
of  his  pledges :  As  truly  as  I  live  all  the 
earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  the 
Lord ;  all  the  ends  of  the  world  shall 
remember  and  turn  unto  the  Lord,  and  all 
the  kindreds  of  the  nations  shall  worship 
before  thee ;  Messiah  shall  have  dominion 
also  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto 
the  ends  of  the  earth ;  the  earth  shall  be  full 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  as  the  waters 
cover  the  sea.  What  now  will  convert  these 
promises  into  accomplished  facts  ?  Prayer, 
the  prayer  of  faith  ;  a  faith  based  on  the 
amplitude  of  divine  guarantees,  a  faith 
accompanied  by  required  instrumentalities. 
The  only  conditions  are  adequate  trust,  en- 


LECT.  IV.]     LARGE    REQUESTS    APPROPRIATE.  1 37 

treaty,  and  effort.  Our  covenant-keeping 
God  does  not  deal  out,  as  does  a  debtor,  the 
exact  amount  on  the  face  of  a  bill,  or  as  an 
apothecary  the  exact  number  of  drachms  and 
scruples  in  a  recipe;  he  takes  the  liberty  of 
going  beyond  the  range  of  our  feeble  desires 
and  of  doing  great  things  for  us.  And  one 
topic  of  supplication  should  be  an  enlarge- 
ment of  desire,  hope,  and  faith  commensu- 
rate with  the  scope  of  scriptural  promises. 
"  Often,"  says  Mason,'  "  pray  for  the  gift  of 
prayer."  Those  bringing  largest  requests 
are  most  welcome  at  the  mercy  seat.  Never 
should  we  be  guilty  of  asking  only  small 
things.  Ever  should  we  keep  in  mind  that 
it  is  dishonoring  God  not  to  ask  great 
things. 

Christ's  intercession  supplies  ample  en- 
couragement. Large  bestowments  are  not 
made  as  a  reward  of  merit  for  petitions. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  do  not  this  for 
your    sakes,    O    house    of    Israel.       While 

*  Student  and  Pastor. 


138  MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lhct.  iv. 

prayer  is  the  appointed  means  on  which  cer- 
tain results  are  conditioned,  the  prayer  that 
prevails  must  be  offered  in  the  name  of  the 
only  Mediator.  And  what  an  Advocate  is 
he  —  conversant  with  all  the  plans  and 
pledges  of  the  adorable  Trinity;  familiar 
with  the  usages  of  the  Court  of  Heaven ; 
no  longer  on  this  footstool,  but  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,  and 
recognized  as  having  boundless  merits,  and 
hence  boundless  influence  there !  Now  on 
what  is  his  heart  set.^*  Is  he  not  expecting 
till  his  enemies  be  made  his  footstool  ?  —  ex- 
pecting till  his  church  awake  to  her  broad 
privileges  ?  Is  it  not  the  governing  aim  of 
Christ's  intercession  and  administration  to 
make  the  benefits  of  his  own  great  sacrifice 
available  to  the  largest  number  of  living 
men  ?  When  we  intercede  in  his  name  it 
is  Christ's  worth,  Christ's  blood,  which 
pleads;  and  that  voice  is  a  mighty  voice. 
"  When  will  you  cease  asking  ?  "  said  Queen 
Elizabeth  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh.  "  Not  till 
your  Majesty  ceases  giving,"  was  the  reply. 


LBCT.  IV.]     LARGE    REQUESTS    APPROPRIATE.  1 39 

Every  pastor,  if  he  did  but  know  it,  has  a 
parish  with  millions  of  souls,  and  prominent 
should  be  the  place  that  this  holds  in  his 
rubric.  Alas  for  him  and  for  his  flock,  if 
he  cherishes  only  contracted  desires ;  if  his 
petitions  are  restricted  to  what  is  purely  im- 
mediate, what  is  narrowly,  and  it  may  be 
selfishly,  advantageous.  Till  recently  in 
churches  on  the  Baltic  island  of  RUgen. 
where  wreckage  was  a  means  of  livelihood, 
supplication  used  to  be  offered  for  a  blessed 
strandino^.'  Shame  and  confusion  of  face 
become  us  if,  as  students  of  the  Lively 
Oracles,  we  fail  to  get  enlarged  views  of  the 
divine  love  to  our  race,  of  the  magnitude  of 
divine  assurances,  the  power  of  Christ's 
priesthood,  and  hence  amplest  encourage- 
ment for  comprehensive  intercession.  We 
have  need  most  assiduously  to  study  the 
possibilities  of  prayer,  to  enlarge  our  con- 
ceptions till  they  shall  approach  more 
nearly   the  circumference    of   divine   grace. 

*  Lieber's  Political  Ethics.     II,  page  37,  note. 


140  MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lect.  iv. 

Does  it  cost  the  sun  any  more  effort  to  fill 
the  world  with  light  than  to  fill  a  hovel  ? 
Is  it  any  more  difHcult  for  God  to  answer  a 
large  than  a  small  request  ?  Was  it  an  un- 
reasonable desire  of  John  Welch,  son-in-law 
of  John  Knox,  that  made  him  cry  out  in  be- 
half of  his  beloved  country :  "  O  God,  wilt 
thou  not  grant  me  Scotland  ?  "  '  Is  it  too 
much  for  even  young  children  to  plead,  in 
the  fullest  sense  of  the  words,  Thy  kingdom 
come ;  thy  will  be  done  in  earth  —  in  all  the 
earth  —  as  it  is  in  heaven  ?  How  imperative 
then  the  claim  upon  thoughtful,  cultured 
men,  who  stand  between  the  porch  and  the 
altar !  ^ 

MINISTERIAL   EARNESTNESS    IN    SUPPLICATION. 

Groanings  that  cannot  be  uttered  — 
desires  too  deep  for  utterance,  too  vast  for 
articulation  !  Such  profound  movement  of 
soul  in  behalf  of  great  objects  was  known  to 

^Robert  FUviing,  The  Fulfilling  of  Scripture.  Also  John 
Howie.  The  Scots  Worthies.  Often  attributed  by  mistake  to 
John  Knox. 

"  Appendix,  note  26. 


LECT.  IV.]     EARNESTNESS    IN    SUPPLICATION.  I4I 

Paul ;  it  should  be  to  every  ambassador  for 
Christ.  It  will  become  the  experience  of 
any  one  who  fully  accepts  the  testimony  of 
God  concerning  the  needs  of  earth's  perish- 
ing millions ;  concerning  his  own  ample 
atoning  provision ;  concerning  the  obliga- 
tions of  his  church  and  its  ministry,  and 
concerning  his  engagements  to  respond  to 
the  believing  supplication  and  corresponding 
efforts  of  his  chosen  people.  Only  study 
the  Bible  with  due  docility  and  prayerful- 
ness ;  only  surrender  the  soul  to  the  Holy 
Spirit's  complete  control  as  the  Spirit  of 
grace  and  of  supplication,  and  any  believer 
will  become  a  prince,  having  power  with 
God  and  with  men,  and  will  prevail.  Ex- 
ploits of  supplication,  mighty  deliverances 
and  showers  of  blessings  in  distant  lands, 
may  be  credited  to  him.  The  reason  is, 
he  who  enjoins  it  upon  us  to  seek,  enables 
us  to  find  ;  he  who  challenges  us  to  devout 
wrestling,  preengages  to  surrender.  Ade- 
quate faith  exercised,  and  adequate  prayer 
offered,  a  universal  Pentecost  would  ensue. 


142   MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lect.  iv 

Who  does  not  need  to  cry,  "  Lord,  increase 
our  faith  "  ?  Who  would  not  put  up  Melanc- 
thon's  petition,  "  Lord,  inflame  my  soul  with 
thy  Holy  Spirit"? 

Such  ardor  has  sometimes  possessed 
human  hearts.  I  refer  to  the  devotional 
utterances  of  one  a  thousand  years  before 
Christ,  whose  protestation  was :  If  I  forget 
thee,  O  Jerusalem,  let  my  right  hand  forget 
her  cunning;  if  I  do  not  remember  thee,  let 
my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth, 
if  I  prefer  not  Jerusalem  above  my  chief 
joy.  I  refer  to  the  soul  struggles  of  one 
who  said :  I  could  wish  myself  accursed 
from  Christ,  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen 
according  to  the  flesh.  I  refer  again  to 
John  Welch,  who  used  to  say  that  he  won- 
dered how  any  one  could  lie  in  bed  all  night 
without  getting  up  to  pour  out  his  heart; 
and  who,  rising  himself  for  prayer  in  coldest 
winter  nights,  was  sometimes  found  weeping 
and  wrestlinsf  with  the  Lord  on  account  of 
his  people,  and  would  say  to  his  wife,  when 
she  pressed  him  for  an  explanation  :  "  I  have 


LHCT.  IV.]     EARNESTNESS    IN    SUPPLICATION.  1 43 

the  souls  of  three  thousand  to  answer  for, 
while  I  know  not  how  it  is  with  many  of 
them." '  Nor  did  he  restrict  his  desires 
to  his  parish  or  to  Scotland.  I  refer  to 
William  Carey,  for  several  years  a  pastor 
in  England  before  becoming  a  missionary 
in  India,  who  during  that  time  was  never 
heard,  it  is  said,  to  engage  in  prayer  without 
interceding  for  the  conversion  of  the 
heathen  and  for  the  abolition  of  the  slave 
trade.  I  refer  to  David  Brainerd,  who 
wrote  in  his  diary :  "  God  enabled  me  so  to 
agonize  in  prayer  that  I  was  quite  wet  with 
perspiration,  though  in  the  shade  and  in  the 
cool  wind.  My  soul  was  drawn  out  very 
much  from  the  world  for  multitudes  of 
souls." ""  Such  are  specimens  of  a  class  of 
men  all  too  limited,  who  have  shown  the 
possibilities  of  devotional  ardor  when  plead- 
ing for  the  church,  or  pleading  for  parishion- 
ers, or  pleading  for  the  Jews,  or  pleading  for 


'Fleming's  Fulfilling  of  Scripture. 
^  Appendix,  note  27. 


144  MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lect.  iv. 

the  heathen.  Let  the  entire  ministry  and 
the  entire  sacramental  host  be  pervaded  by 
such  intensity,  and  soon  shall  there  be  heard 
a  voice  saying  in  heaven,  Now  is  come 
salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of 
our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ. 

When  the  claims  and  the  glories  of 
Messiah's  kingdom  have  taken  proper  hold 
of  a  minister's  heart  or  the  heart  of  any 
one,  it  will  sometimes  be  manifest  in  clos- 
ing hours.  Death-beds  are  usually  places 
of  honesty ;  often  they  are  scenes  where 
heaven  and  earth  meet.  Not  unfrequently, 
in  later  moments  of  life,  does  the  clear  light 
of  the  world  to  come  dawn  upon  a  redeemed 
soul,  and  the  grandeur  of  Christ's  person, 
Christ's  sacrifice,  Christ's  dominion  on  earth 
so  fill  the  mind  that  everything  personal, 
even  one's  own  salvation,  is  swallowed  up 
by  the  supreme  thought  of  God's  glory  in 
the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  consumma- 
tion of  spiritual  triumphs  on  earth.  We 
enter  the  chamber  of  Dr.  Donne,  dean  of 
St.  Paul's.     In  the  perfect  stillness  of  the 


LECT.iv.]     EARNESTNESS    IN    SUPPLICATION.  1 45 

place  we  catch  words  uttered  with  breath 
that  grows  fainter  and  fainter ;  but  repeat- 
edly do  we  hear  the  petition,  Thy  kingdom 
come ;  thy  will  be  done.  We  pass  to  the 
home  of  that  deeply  devout  man,  Pastor 
Blumhardt.  We  listen  to  what,  just  before 
departure,  he  says  in  a  firm  tone :  "  The 
Lord  will  shortly  lead  on  his  own  cause 
gloriously,"  and  to  his  frequent  ejaculation, 
Thy  kingdom  come ;  thy  kingdom  come. 
In  such  apartments  heaven  is  begun.  We 
marvel  at  our  not  having  seen  earlier  the 
littleness  of  everything  save  the  divine 
kingdom  and  its  vast  interests.  Sometimes 
we  are  awed  by  the  sublimity  of  such  scenes. 
Was  there  ever  a  completer  triumph  over 
the  last  enemy  than  when  the  martyr, 
William  Tyndal,  flames  rising  round  him, 
cried,  "  O  Lord,  open  the  king  of  England's 
eyes  "  ?  or  when  St.  Lawrence,  on  his  bed  of 
coals,  prayed  for  the  conversion  of  pagan 
Rome  ?  Similar  victories  over  the  grave 
take  place  in  our  own  country.  When  Dr. 
Backus,    the    first    President   of    Hamilton 


146  MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lect.  iv. 

College,  was  told  that  he  had  not  over  half 
an  hour  to  live,  "  Is  it  so  ? "  said  the  man  of 
prayer ;  "  then  take  me  out  of  bed  and  place 
me  upon  my  knees ;  let  me  spend  that  time 
in  calling  upon  God  for  the  salvation  of  the 
world."  Thus  kneeling  and  praying  he 
breathed  his  last.  To  such,  death  is  swal- 
lowed up  in  victory. 

CONCLUSION. 

In  what  has  now  been  said  there  is  no 
forgetfulness  of  the  proper  place  for  means. 
To  divine  working  there  must,  of  course, 
be  linked  human  cooperation.  But  as  the 
world  goes,  the  greater  liability  is  that  work 
will  be  put  in  place  of  prayer.  Effort  with- 
out prayer  is  as  truly  irreligious  as  prayer 
without  effort  is  presumptuous.  The  sword 
of  Joshua  and  the  supplication  of  Moses 
should  go  hand  in  hand.  Gustavus  Adol- 
phus,  kneeling  in  the  face  of  his  army,  cries 
vehemently,  "  O  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  bless 
our  arms  and  this  day's  battle  for  the  glory 
of  thy  holy  name ! "  but  the  hero  relies  none 


LECT.  IV.]  CONCLUSION.  147 

the  less  upon  the  valor  of  Protestant  Swedes 
who  will  make  the  plain  of  Llitzen  immortal. 
Honesty  of  interest,  on  the  part  of  a  pastor 
or  any  one,  in  the  cause  of  missions,  w^iich 
shall  inspire  appropriate  intercession,  will 
not  fail  to  inspire  corresponding  effort,  and 
each  will  react  healthfully  upon  the  other. 
Insincerity  reconciles  to  inactivity.  Some 
years  since  a  tract '  was  published  entitled 
"  Pray  Less  or  Do  More,"  and  it  set  forth, 
what  the  title  plainly  enough  suggests,  the 
gross  inconsistency  of  do-nothing  professors 
who  round  out  climacteric  prayers  with 
petitions  for  the  whole  world.  Whoso  hath 
this  world's  goods,  and  seeth  his  brother 
have  need  —  his  brother  in  China  or  on  the 
Congo  —  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  com- 
passion from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of 
God  in  him  ? 

Now,  while  presenting  the  fitness  of 
breadth  and  earnestness  in  ministerial  devo- 
tions, has  there  been  forgetfulness  of  local 

»  By  Rev.  Hollis  Read. 


148   MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lect.iv, 

needs  —  those  of  the  neighborhood  and  the 
nation  ?  Rather  these  have  been  most  fully 
in  mind ;  indeed,  if  such  a  thing  were  allow- 
able, we  might  say,  the  former  for  the  sake 
of  the  latter.  The  greater  includes  the  less. 
The  pastor  who  is  alive  to  the  urgencies  of 
the  Messianic  kingdom  in  its  wider  scope 
cannot  be  languid  in  petitions  or  exertions 
for  its  interests  near  at  hand.  If  ever  there 
was  a  faithful  preacher  and  devoted  shep- 
herd of  his  immediate  flock  was  it  not  Rich- 
ard Baxter  ?  Reviewing  his  opinions  and  ex- 
perience, the  man  who  had  effected  such  a 
religious  reform  at  Kidderminster  says  :  "  My 
soul  is  much  more  afflicted  with  the  thought 
of  this  miserable  world,  and  more  drawn  out 
in  desire  of  its  conversion,  than  heretofore. 
I  was  wont  to  look  but  little  farther  than 
England  in  my  prayers,  not  considering  the 
state  of  the  rest  of  the  world ;  or  if  I  prayed 
for  the  conversion  of  the  Jews,  that  was 
almost  all.  But  now,  as  I  better  understand 
the  case  of  the  world,  and  the  method  of  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  there  is  nothing  in  the  world 


LECT.  IV.]  CONCLUSION.  1 49 

that  lies  so  heavy  upon  my  heart  as  the 
thought  of  the  miserable  nations  of  the 
earth."  "  I  cannot  be  affected  so  much  with 
the  calamities  of  my  own  relations  or  the 
land  of  my  nativity  as  with  the  case  of  the 
heathen,  Mahometan,  and  ignorant  nations 
of  the  earth.  No  part  of  my  prayers  are  so 
deeply  serious  as  that  for  the  conversion  of 
the  infidel  and  ungodly  world  ;  that  God's 
name  may  be  sanctified,  and  his  kingdom 
come,  and  his  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is 
in  heaven." '  It  was  while  yet  a  licentiate 
that  Jonathan  Edwards  wrote  (1723):''  "I 
had  great  longings  for  the  advancement  of 
Christ's  kingdom  in  the  world;  and  my 
secret  prayer  used  to  be,  in  great  part, 
taken  up  in  praying  for  it."  In  what  respect 
did  Robert  McCheyne  come  short  of  being 
a  model  pastor?  Though  engaged  night 
and  day  with  his  flock  at  St.  Peter's  in  Dun- 
dee, he  fanned  the  flame  of  evangelistic  zeal 
in    his  own    bosom    by  reading   missionary 

^  Orme's  Works  of  Baxter,  i,  page  383. 
^  Dwight's  Life  of  Edwards,  page  66. 


150  MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS.    Llect.  iv 

intelligence  and  communicating  the  same 
at  his  weekly  prayer  meeting.  The  necessi- 
ties of  his  own  parish  lay  all  the  heavier  on 
his  soul  because  he  was  burdened  by  the 
necessities  of  the  world  at  large.'  Has  St. 
Petersburg  or  Berlin  ever  seen  a  man  of 
more  evangelical  earnestness  in  the  pulpit, 
a  man  more  alive  to  the  needs  of  his  hearers 
and  neighbors,  than  Father  Gossner  ?  Stand- 
ing by  his  grave,  one  who  was  qualified  to 
speak  said  of  him  without  exaggeration : 
"  He  prayed  up  the  walls  of  a  hospital,  and 
the  hearts  of  the  nurses ;  he  prayed  mission 
stations  into  being,  and  missionaries  into 
faith  ;  he  prayed  open  the  hearts  of  the  rich, 
and  gold  from  the  most  distant  lands."  Is 
not  the  spring  that  can  supply  only  one 
household  more  likely  to  fail  than  the  foun- 
tain which  supplies  a  whole  community  ? 

Such  a  spirit  and  habit  of  prayer  for 
missions  as  has  now  been  described,  which 
shall  impel  those  in  the  sacred  ofHce  to  a 

^  Bonar's  Life  and  Remains  of  McCheyne,  page  yy. 


LECT.  IV.]  CONCLUSION.  1 5 1 

compass  of  supplication  and  to  an  earnest- 
ness corresponding  to  their  high  responsi- 
bilities—  for  Zion's  sake  will  I  not  hold  my 
peace,  and  for  Jerusalem's  sake  will  I  not 
rest,  until  the  righteousness  thereof  go  forth 
as  briorhtness  and  the  salvation  thereof  as  a 
lamp  that  burneth  —  such  a  spirit  would  be 
more  auspicious  than  any  possible  array  of 
learning  or  pulpit  eloquence,  or  any  num- 
ber of  munificent  bequests  from  the  rich. 
To  fail  in  this  momentous  branch  of  ofHcial 
requirements ;  to  lend  but  half  an  ear  to 
what  the  Lord  is  saying  —  I  have  set  watch- 
men upon  thy  walls,  O  Jerusalem,  which 
shall  never  hold  their  peace  day  nor  night ; 
ye  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord,  keep  not 
silence,  and  give  him  no  rest  till  he  estab- 
lish, and  till  he  make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in 
the  earth  —  what  is  it  but  negatively  be- 
seeching him  :  "  Let  not  thy  kingdom  com.e  ; 
stop  thou  the  Macedonian  cry ;  close  thou 
the  doors  of  access  to  the  heathen  ;  let  its 
millions  go  on  down  to  death  "  ?  The  sum- 
mons of    the  shipmaster  who  sailed  out  of 


152   MINISTERIAL  PRAYER  AND  MISSIONS,    [lect.  iv. 

Joppa  twenty-seven  centuries  ago  should 
ring  in  the  ear  of  every  slumbering  prophet: 
What  meanest  thou,  O  sleeper?  Arise,  call 
upon  thy  God,  if  so  be  that  God  will  think 
upon  us,  that  we  perish  not/ 

'  Appendix,  note  28. 


LECTURE  V. 

MISSIONARY    CONCERTS 
OF   PRAYER. 


MISSIONARY  CONCERTS   OF 
PRAYER. 

In  discussing  even  one  department  of 
prayer  —  prayer  for  the  progress  of  Christ's 
kingdom  among  the  heathen  —  we  enter 
upon  a  broad  fiold.  Iv  woalJ  be  broad  even 
though  restricted  to  this  section  of  ministe- 
rial duty.  Having  considered  the  preacher's 
personal  concern  therein,  we  will  today  con- 
sider a  topic  pertaining  more  especially  to 
professional  routine,  the  missionary  prayer 
meeting.  It  will  not  be  superfluous  if  we 
first  glance  at 

THE    VALUE    OF    UNITED    PRAYER. 

The  eternal  Lawgiver  has  placed  united 
supplication  among  primary  forces  in  the 
spiritual  world.  Its  special  efficacy  accords 
with    a    universal     fact    that    combination 

(155) 


156      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,     [lect.  v. 

is  power.  Illustrations  throng  upon  us 
throughout  the  realm  of  mechanics  and  of 
vital  laws.  The  threefold  cord  will  sustain 
a  weight  more  than  three  times  the  total  of 
what  its  strands  would  separately  sustain. 
Any  society,  civil  or  religious,  is  more  than 
the  persons  composing  it.  By  virtue  of 
association  and  organism  it  has  life  and 
various  capabilities.  Savages  do  not  help 
one  another,  even  in  the  simplest  processes, 
while  cooperative  labor  characterizes  civil- 
ized life.  Man  cannot  be  fully  man  without 
society,  nor  can  society  attain  to  high  ad- 
vancement without  manifold  association. 
So  too  in  religious  matters.  A  church  is 
more  than  a  collection  of  so  many  individu- 
als; it  is  God's  school  for  educating  men  to 
eminence  in  piety  and  all  forms  of  well- 
doing. The  social  principle,  duly  sanctified 
and  called  forth,  will  manifest  itself  by  a 
sympathetic  throb  through  the  brotherhood. 
It  is  as  absurd  and  as  foreign  to  divine  pur- 
pose for  pope  or  pastor  to  think,  The  church 
is  for  me,  as  it  was  for  Louis  XIV  to  affirm, 


LECT.v.]    THE  VALUE  OF  UNITED  PRAYER.    I  57 

"  I  am  the  State." '  No  solitary  training 
can  make  a  soldier,  nor  do  a  certain  number 
of  persons  taken  at  random  and  arranged  in 
line  make  a  military  company.  They  must 
be  enrolled,  must  be  drilled  in  concert,  a 
martial  spirit  evoked,  and  the  stimulus  of  a 
common  object  and  mutual  helpfulness  sup- 
plied. In  every  society  the  sentiments  and 
sympathies  common  to  all,  on  which  they 
rally  and  move,  form  the  source  of  their 
power.  Under  this  law  of  special  efficiency 
in  associate  action  united  petitions  find  place. 
Other  things  equal,  combination  in  prayer 
has  a  power  peculiar  to  itself. 

If  we  would  duly  assure  and  discipline 
ourselves  for  that  high  branch  of  the  ofHce 
which,  in  this  field  of  duty,  falls  to  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  we  must  turn  to  the  inspired 
Directory,  as  those  who,  traveling  westward, 
would  see  the  first  beams  of  a  coming  sun, 
look  at  mountain  peaks  behind  them.  Going 
back  to  the  early  days  of  Israel,  we  find  it 

^  L'etat  c'est  moi. 


158       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  v. 

was  their  collective  cry  which  brought  deliv* 
erance  from  Egyptian  bondage.  It  was  a 
vow  by  them  as  a  people  which  effected  the 
overthrow  of  Canaanites  under  Arad  at  Hor- 
mah.  In  their  eight  years'  servitude  they 
lifted  up  joint  supplications,  and  the  Lord 
gave  them  Othniel  as  their  deliverer.  When 
Midianites  overran  and  impoverished  the 
land,  a  nation's  sigh  and  cry  prevailed. 
Sorely  oppressed  by  the  Philistines  and 
Ammonites,  Israel  came  together  for  confes- 
sion and  petition,  and  the  enemy  fled  before 
Jephthah.  We  call  to  mind  the  Jews  at  the 
river  Ahava,  fasting  and  as  a  body  beseech- 
ing God,  who  graciously  regards  their  cries ; 
or  Queen  Esther,  at  the  instance  of  Mordecai, 
notifying  the  whole  Jewish  people  that  they 
should  give  themselves  to  fasting  and  prayer 
for  deliverance,  which  soon  comes  ;  or  that 
constant  intercession  made  by  the  church 
in  behalf  of  Peter  when  in  prison,  and  his 
speedy  deliverance ;  or  the  eight  days'  meet- 
ing of  combined  supplication  that  preceded 
the  wonders  of  Pentecost ;  or  a  later  scene 


LECT.  v.]        THE  VALUE  OF  UNITED  PRAYER.  I  59 

when,  after  the  disciples  had  jointly  observed 
a  devotional  season,  the  place  was  shaken 
where  they  were  assembled  together,  and 
they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Concerning  the  great  and  manifold  spiritual 
blessings  pledged  through  the  prophet  Eze- 
kiel  in  his  thirty-sixth  chapter,  it  is  recorded  : 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  will  yet  for  this 
be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel  to  do  it 
for  them.  Our  Lord  Jesus  gave  a  special 
pledge  to  the  gathering  of  only  two  or  three 
in  his  name.  With  the  concurrent  prayers 
of  saints  there  is  much  sweet  smelling 
incense  from  the  golden  censer  on  high. 
That  perfume  depends  in  no  wise  upon  the 
earthly  office,  rank,  or  learning  of  petitioners. 
The  humblest,  if  filled  with  faith,  may  be 
mighty  in  supplication.  "  We  come  by 
troops,"  says  Tertullian,  "  to  make  our  pray- 
ers to  God  that,  being  banded  as  it  were 
together,  we  may  with  a  strong  hand  sue 
him  for  his  favor.  This  violence  is  grateful 
to  God." 

Could  the  Bible,  teaching  so  largely  as  it 


l6o      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lhct.  v. 

does  by  example,  make  the  truth  in  that  way 
plainer,  that  men  having  common  relations 
should  in  their  corporate  capacity  pray  to 
God,  and  that  such  prayer  secures  what 
individual  supplication  would  not?  Obvi- 
ously there  are  collective  blessings  which 
may  not  be  looked  for  except  as  collective 
entreaties  are  offered.  In  the  arithmetic 
of  the  kingdom  two  and  two  make  more 
than  four.  The  church's  responsibility  and 
power  exceed  the  aggregate  of  individual 
duties.  Evidently  the  dynamics  of  devo- 
tional combination  are  not  duly  appreciated, 
and  this  is  something  for  the  pastor  to  study 
and  to  urge.  Who  can  innocently  withhold 
his  heart  and  presence  from  the  devout 
assemblages  of  those  with  whom  he  stands 
in  covenant  ?  Needless  absence  is  a  culpa- 
ble withdrawment  of  spiritual  force.  If  a 
body  of  believers  were  only  so  many  grains 
of  sand  that  happen  to  be  in  the  same  neigh- 
borhood on  the  shore  of  time,  the  case  would 
be  very  different ;  but  a  church  is  compacted 
by  that  which  every  joint  supplieth.     Like 


LECT.v.l  HISTORICAL    SKETCH.  l6l 

the  river  of  Egypt,  the  stream  of  God's 
mercy  is  ample,  yet  on  either  side  is  a  barren 
waste.  For  fertilizing  the  desert  there  is  a 
vast  machine,  requiring  the  united  strength 
of  all.  How  great  the  failure  if  one  refuse 
to  lend  a  hand  !  How  sad  that  any  should 
draw  with  their  individual  buckets  alone, 
and  only  for  their  own  little  private  garden ! 

HISTORICAL    SKETCH. 

United  prayer  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel 
among  unevangelized  peoples  is  a  subject 
which,  till  a  comparatively  recent  period, 
seems  never  to  have  engaged  the  pen  of 
Christian  writers.  When  in  early  times  the 
evangelistic  spirit  began  to  wane,  naturally 
this  topic  of  prayer  would  also  wane.  From 
that  day  onward,  till  more  than  a  hundred 
years  after  the  Reformation,  religious  litera- 
ture as  an  exponent  of  missionary  thought 
reveals  a  sad  blank.  It  is  one  of  the  painful 
facts  of  church  history  that  during  all  that 
long   interval    writers    on    Christian    ethics, 


1 62       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  v 

and  even  careful  students  of  Scripture,  should 
have  found  so  little  occasion  for  enforcing 
the  duties  of  prayer  and  effort  in  behalf  of 
the  heathen.  While  we  do  not  look  to  the 
scholasticism  of  the  middle  ages,  its  summa- 
ries, its  quiddities  and  quodlibets,  for  an  ex- 
pansive Christianity,  we  might  expect  to  find 
in  the  forest  of  folios,  earlier  and  later,  some 
devout  writers  giving  evidence  that  God  had 
stirred  their  souls  to  cry  out  in  behalf  of  a 
world  lying  in  wickedness.  How  could  men, 
commenting  and  expatiating  on  the  second 
and  third  petitions  of  our  Lord's  Prayer, 
manage  to  miss  the  chief  intent?  Yet  all 
along  the  ages,  from  the  earliest  extant  spec- 
imen, that  of  Cyprian,  bishop  and  martyr  in 
the  third  century,'  down  to  modern  times, 
writers  dwelling  on  the  words.  Thy  kingdom 
come,  have  almost  universally  dwelt  on  its 
inner  advent  to  hearts  in  Christendom  ;  or 
else  on  the  kingdom  of  glory  hereafter, 
rather   than   on    a   present    spiritual    realm 

*  De  Oratione  Dominica,  A,D.  252. 


LECT.v.]  HISTORICAL    SKETCH.  1 63 

below  —  grace  triumphant  in  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, rather  than  grace  militant  in  struggles 
for  terrestrial  extension.'  Even  among  the 
Jews  there  has  been  a  saying,  He  prays  not  at 
all  in  whose  prayers  there  is  no  mention  of 
the  kingdom  of  God.  But  the  veil,  not  taken 
from  their  heart,  seems  to  have  long  and 
widely  shadowed  the  vision  of  Christian  men 
too.  Thought  has  centered  on  individual 
welfare  or  on  national  aggrandizement,  in- 
stead of  Messianic  rule,  from  the  rising  of 
the  sun  to  the  going  down  thereof. 

When  the  church  had  become  largely 
corrupt  and'  decrepit,  and  the  retributive 
scourge  of  Mohammedanism  had  swept  over 
many  a  field  of  her  heritage,  it  was  not  a 
Christian  but  a  military  spirit  that  awoke  at 
length  in  the  West.  Crusading  enthusiasm 
took  its  rise  elsewhere  than  at  the  mercy 
seat.  No  coal  from  off  the  altar  of  heaven 
kindled  that  martial  propagandism.  But 
when,  two  centuries  ago,  missionary  thoughts 

*  Appendix,  note  29. 


164      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,     [lect.  v. 

were  born  and  became  operative  In  New 
England,  Old  England,  Holland,  and  Ger- 
many, religious  publications  here  and  there 
began  to  show  that  there  was  a  recognized 
fitness  in  unitedly  commending  each  new 
movement  to  the  God  of  all  grace.  This 
was  especially  the. case  at  Halle  and  Herrn- 
hut. 

The  earliest  formal  treatise  designed  to 
encourage  concerted  prayer  on  a  broad 
scale  for  the  triumph  of  the  gospel  was 
by  Jonathan  Edwards.  It  illustrates  the 
devoutness  and  breadth  of  mind  in  that 
remarkable  man.  The  first  of  four  para- 
graphs on  the  title-page  shows  the  aim  of 
his  work,  and  suggests  that  a  new  era  in 
gospel  promulgation  was  about  to  open: 
"  An  honorable  attempt  to  promote  an  ex- 
plicit agreement  and  visible  union  of  God's 
people  through  the  world,  in  extraordinary 
prayer  for  the  revival  of  religion  and  the 
advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom  on  earth, 
pursuant  to  Scripture  promises  and  prophe- 
cies concerning  the  last  time."     The  work 


LECT.v.]  HISTORICAL    SKETCH.  1 65 

was  at  once  republished  in  England  and 
Scotland,  and  had  a  wide  circulation  in 
those  countries  as  well  as  in  America. 
More  than  a  century  has  since  elapsed, 
and  not  till  within  the  last  fifty  years  did 
the  subject  begin  to  enlist  other  pens  to 
any  considerable  extent.  No  book  in  the 
same  line  appeared  till  the  publication  of 
Dr.  Enoch  Pond's  Monthly  Concert  Lectures 
(1824);  a  score  of  years  went  by  before  the 
next  small  volume  of  kindred  aim,  Letters 
on  the  Observance  of  the  Mo7ithly  Concert^ 
by  Dr.  Samuel  Miller,  of  Princeton,  made 
its  appearance  (1845).  Since  that  time  the 
larger  missionary  treatises  and  missionary 
periodicals  and  pamphlets  have  occasionally 
given  a  few  pages  to  this  matter.  Now  and 
then  a  paragraph  has  been  devoted  to  it  in 
works  on  the  pastoral  ofiice.  We  find  that 
at  the  close  of  the  last  century  and  the 
beginning  of  the  present,  missions  began  in 
some  degree  to  color  the  religious  life  of 
England  and  the  United  States  ;  and  while, 
in  these  last  times,  far  too  little   has  been 


1 66       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,     [lect.  v. 

written  on  the  subject,  yet  the  aggregate 
exceeds  all  that  had  appeared  during  the 
seventeen  previous  centuries. 

THE    lord's    PRAYER. 

I  have  referred  to  earlier  expositions  of 
the  Lord's  Prayer.  It  will  also  be  found 
that,  after  the  Reformation,  it  was  a  long 
while  before  such  expositions  began  to  show, 
in  any  noticeable  measure,  that  the  broader 
scope  intended  by  the  great  Teacher  had 
come  to  be  apprehended.  We  have  only  to 
look  at  the  writings  of  such  eminent  men  as 
Hermann  Witsius,'  Isaac  Barrow,  Bishop 
Jeremy  Taylor,  and  Archbishop  Leighton, 
to  be  convinced  of  this;  but  examining  those 
of  the  last  hundred  years,  you  will  find  a 
gradual  and  gratifying  change,  particularly 
as  regards  the  second  and  third  petitions. 
Take,  for  instance,  the  Assembly's  Shorter 
Catechism,  which  has  been  translated  into 
the  classic  languages,  into  numerous  modern 

'  Appendix,  note  30. 


LECT.v.]  THE    lord's    prayer.  1 67 

languages,  and  which,  in  editions  of  untold 
number,  has  been  widely  used.  Its  one 
hundred  and  second  answer  reads :  "In  the 
second  petition,  which  is  '  Thy  kingdom 
come,'  we  pray  that  Satan's  kingdom  may 
be  destroyed ;  and  that  the  kingdom  of 
grace  may  be  advanced,  ourselves  and  others 
brought  into  it ;  and  that  the  kingdom  of 
glory  may  be  hastened."  If  reframed  at  the 
present  day  it  would  no  doubt  have  a  more 
distinct  missionary  scope.  Comments  by 
various  writers  have  not,  as  a  general  thing, 
shown  that  the  clause,  "ourselves  and 
others,"  was  taken  in  any  adequate  breadth 
of  conception.  The  doctrine  of  fore-ordi- 
nation has  sometimes  been  discussed  by 
Augustinian  and  Calvinistic  writers,  apart 
from  related  and  modifying  truths  of  re- 
sponsibility for  prayer  and  effort  in  behalf 
of  the  heathen.  That  high  doctrine  is  ca- 
pable of  being  pictured  as  a  mountain  lake, 
isolated,  clear,  yet  from  which  there  seems 
to  be  no  outlet  for  the  refreshment  of  dis- 
tant plains.     The   safety  of   the    individual 


1 68      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,     [lect.  v. 

believer  and  of  the  church  has  been  amply 
dwelt  upon ;  but  the  elect  have  appeared 
to  be  thought  of  as  presumably  found  only 
in  lands  already  Christian.  Such  a  limited 
theological  range  tends  to  shut  out  practical 
inferences  relating  to  labor  and  supplication 
in  behalf  of  the  unevangelized.  Open,  for 
instance,  A  Complete  Body  of  Divinity,  in 
two  hundred  and  fifty  expository  lectures 
on  the  Assembly's  Shorter  Catechism,'^  by 
Samuel  Willard,  of  Boston,  the  first  folio  on 
theology  printed  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
He  began  the  course  in  January,  1687,  and 
continued  it  till  April,  1707,  the  year  of  his 
death.  The  publication,  however,  did  not 
take  place  till  many  years  afterwards.  May- 
hew  had  been  laboring  for  forty  years  among 
the  Indians ;  Eliot,  having  translated  the 
Bible  into  their  vernacular,  had  died,  and 
their  suggestive  labors  were  well  known ; 
yet  neither  in  discoursing  on  the  Lord's 
Prayer,    nor   on    Christ's    kingly   office,  did 

"  Boston,  1726.     Pages  914. 


LECT.  v.]  THE    lord's    prayer.  1 69 

that  pastor  of  the  Old  South  Church, 
Boston,  and  Vice-President  of  Harvard 
College,  enforce  any  just  missionary  senti- 
ments. The  same  was  true  of  Thomas 
Watson,  in  his  one  hundred  and  seventy-six 
sermons  on  the  Assembly's  Catechism^  and 
true  also  of  nearly  all  similar  works,  large 
or  small,""  till  recent  days.  As  time  goes 
on  there  is  coming  to  be  a  more  distinct 
recognition  of  the  fact  that  unevangelized 
peoples  are  a  proper  subject  of  petition. 
Recent  converts  from  heathenism  are  even 
now  sometimes  in  advance  of  older  Christian 
communities.  A  female  slave  in  Travan- 
core,  at  a  public  examination  of  candidates 
for  baptism,  replying  to  the  question,  "  What 
is  meant  by  the  words  Thy  kingdom  come  }  " 
said,  "  We  therein  pray  that  grace  may  reign 
in  everybody's  heart." 

An  improvement  herein  may  be  seen  in 
numerous  smaller  works  on  the  catechism, 


*  Quarto,   1692. 

^  Appendix,  note  31. 


T70      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  v 

as  those  of  Brown,'  Patterson,  and  Green. 
It  may  be  noticed  also  in  some  of  the  sepa- 
rate treatises  on  the  Lord's  Prayer,"  though 
not  in  that  by  Maurice.  Among  earlier 
treatises  in  our  language  there  are  perhaps 
none  which  show  a  more  just  apprehension 
of  the  import  of  these  petitions  than  is 
found  in  the  religious  works  of  Matthew 
Hale  ( 1 609-1 676),  one  of  the  ablest  and 
best  men  who  ever  sat  upon  the  judicial 
bench.  Yet  in  none  of  those  referred  to  is 
there  that  distinct  and  earnest  treatment  of 
the  subject  which  its  importance  in  the  light 
of  biblical  teaching  requires.  Sometimes  it 
seems  as  if  the  writer's  thought  were,  Let 
02ir  kingdom  come.^  An  examination  of 
certain  works  belonging  to  the  class  just 
named,  and  others  which  have  been  em- 
ployed in  the  instruction  of  the  young,  is 
liable  to  suggest  a  parody  on  the  Assembly's 
answer    to    what    is    required    in    the    tenth 


»  Appendix,  note  32.  "*  Appendix,  note  33. 

^  Appendix,  note  34. 


LECT.v.]  SACRED    LYRICS.  171 

Commandment  :  "  Full  contentment  with 
our  own  condition" — and  with  the  lot  of 
perishing  heathen  !  Now  and  then  there 
may  be  suggested  the  way  in  which  a  New 
Zealand  chief  always  said  the  Lord's  Prayer 
—  "  Forgive  us  our  trespasses,  though  we  do 
not  forgive  those  who  trespass  against  us." 
It  must  forever  remain  a  marvel  that,  while 
the  first  three  petitions  of  this  formulary 
so  widely  used  relate  to  the  universal  com- 
ing of  the  kingdom,  there  should  have  been 
age  after  age  so  little  apprehension  of  their 
real  scope  and  intent. 

SACRED    LYRICS. 

What  was  thus  true  during  the  first  seven- 
teen centuries  of  our  era  regarding  the 
prose  literature  of  the  church  was,  in  about 
the  same  proportion,  true  of  her  lyric  poetry. 
The  Messianic  kingdom  was  conceived  of 
chiefly  as  the  realm  of  providence,  as  a  sov- 
ereignty over  mankind,  with  but  too  little 
reference  to  that  spiritual  reign  in  men 
which  is  destined  to  be  so  wide-spread.     The 


172       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  v. 

breadth  of  divine  design,  promise,  and  com- 
mand had  no  adequate  place  in  the  imagina- 
tion of  hymn  writers,  Greek  or  Latin,  ancient 
or  mediaeval.  Not  till  the  seventeenth  cent- 
ury, indeed  not  till  the  eighteenth,  did  the 
lyric  muse  begin  to  catch  glimpses  of  the 
strong  pinions  and  sublime  flight  of  that 
angel  who  has  the  everlasting  gospel.' 

One  would  suppose  that  what  the  Script- 
ures make  known  as  contemplated  for  all 
men  by  the  incarnation,  death,  resurrection 
and  ascension  of  Jesus  Christ,  would,  from 
the  first,  have  fired  the  mind  of  every  man 
who  took  up  psaltery  and  harp.  Listening, 
for  instance,  to  the  first  stanza  of  St.  Am- 
brose's Advent  Hymn  —  Veni  Redemp tor  gen- 
tium —  "  Redeemer  of  the  nations,  come ;  " 
or  to  the  first  stanza  of  the  noble  Vexilla 
Regis  pro deunt — "The  royal  banners  for- 
ward go" —  of  Venantius  Fortunatus,  we  anti- 
cipate a  picture  of  Immanuel's  conquests  as 
foretold  by  David  and  Isaiah.   When  we  take 

*  Appendix,  note  35. 


LECT.v.]  SACRED    LYRICS.  1 73 

up  the  Lucis  largitor  splendide  of  Hilarius,  or 
O  sola  7nagnarum  urbiuni  of  Prudentius,  we 
naturally  carry  with  us  thoughts  of  the  Mag- 
nificat oi  Mary,  the  Benedictus  of  Zachariah, 
and  the  Gloria  in  excelsis  of  the  angels. 
But  we  meet  with  disappointment.  So  is  it 
all  the  way  down  through  the  contem.plative 
and  mystic  poetry  of  the  middle  ages  till 
modern  missionary  ideas  began  to  germinate 
in  song.  The  hymnody  of  sixteen  centuries 
does  not  furnish  enough,  with  special  adap- 
tation, for  a  monthly  concert  of  our  day. 

Among  the  eighty  thousand  and  more 
German  hymns  which  have  been  registered, 
there  were  indeed  thoughts  relating  to  the 
spread  of  Christianity  before  an  expressly 
missionary  hymn  appeared,  as  it  did  at  the 
middle  of  the  last  century  (1749).  That 
was  Bogatzky 's  Wach  aiif  du  Geist  dcr  ersten 
Zeugen^  still  often  used  on  missionary  occa- 
sions in  Germany.  At  the  present  time  it 
is  an  easy  thing  in  the  Fatherland  to  com- 

*  Appendix,  note  36 


174       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,     [lect.v. 

pile  fitting  collections  for  this  specific  pur- 
pose. One  such  may  be  seen  consisting  of 
two  hundred  and  twenty  selections/  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Rhenish  Missionary  Society; 
another  of  tw^o  hundred  and  ninety  selections 
by  Krummacher  ;  ^  another  of  a  hundred  and 
forty-one  hymns,  composed  by  that  earnestly 
evangelical  man,  Christian  Gottlob  Barth.^ 
Yet  another,  a  compilation  of  four  hundred 
and  seventy  pieces,  was  prepared  by  Dr. 
Josenhans,  late  superintendent  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Institution  at  Basle.^ 

Among  the  twenty  thousand  hymns  in 
our  own  language,  all  of  them  the  product 
of  the  post-reformation  period,  there  is  a 
goodly  number  that  belong  to  the  class  now 
referred  to,  and  nearly  all  are  an  outcome  of 


^  Evangelisches  Missionsgesangbuch.  Ilerausgegeben  zum 
Besten  der  Rheinischen  Missionsgesellschaft.  2te  Auf.  Giiters- 
loh,  1846. 

^  F.  W.  Krtimviacher.  Zionsharfe,  eine  Liedersammlung  fiir 
Bibel-,  Missions-,  und  andere  christliche  Vereine.    Elberfcld,  1827. 

3  C.  G.  B'lrik.     Missionslieder.     Stuttgart,  1864. 

*  Missionsliederbuch  fiir  die  Missionsgemeinde  und  die  Arbei- 
ter  auf  dem  Missionsfeld.     2te  Auf.     Basel,  1S79. 


LECT.  v.]  SACRED    LYRICS.  1 75 

that  quickened  evangelistic  spirit  which  was 
slowly  advancing  in  the  last  century,  and 
which  since  1800  has  been  more  rapidly 
developed  among  English-speaking  peoples. 
No  Protestant  collection  in  any  language 
designed  for  the  service  of  song  in  the  house 
of  the  Lord  is  now  deemed  complete  that 
has  not  a  missionary  department.'  Poetry 
and  music  have  not  yet  done  their  best. 
While  Heber  s  peerless  hymn, 

"  From  Greenland's  icy  mountains," 

will  never  be  superseded,  it  may  yet  be  sur- 
passed. When  the  heart  of  the  church  shall 
have  become  thoroughly  saturated  with  the 
exalted  spirit  of  the  Messianic  kingdom, 
there  must  fall  upon  gifted  souls  an  afflatus 
that  will  reveal  resources  of  song  akin  to  the 
loftiest  strains  of  Old  Testament  prophecy 
and  to  the  choral  harmonies  of  heaven. 
However  it  may  be  with  individuals,  changes 
in  the  religious  views  and  habits  of  a  com- 
munity or  a  denomination  are  slow;  and  it 

*  Appendix,  note  37. 


I  76       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER.    Elect,  v. 

is  usually  a  long  while  before  new  ideas 
enter  so  effectively  into  the  life  of  a  church 
as  to  become  obvious  in  its  literature.  It  is 
easy  to  create  an  eddy ;  not  easy  to  change 
the  current. 

ORIGIN    OF    THE    CONCERT. 

We  do  not  of  course  afHrm  that  no  prayer 
for  the  universal  spread  of  the  gospel  was 
offered  during  former  periods.  "  This  God," 
said  Cyprian,  bishop  and  martyr,  on  trial 
before  the  Proconsul  at  the  middle  of  the 
third  century — "this  God  we  Christians 
serve.  To  him  we  pray  day  and  night  for 
ourselves,  for  all  men,  and  for  the  welfare  of 
the  emperors  themselves."  Along  the  ages 
there  must  have  been  here  and  there,  it 
would  seem,  earnest,  thoughtful  souls  fired 
with  far-reaching  desires  awakened  by 
prophecy  and  promise.  The  hymns  and 
prescribed  litanies  of  the  church,  though  in- 
adequate, did  a  little  toward  enlarging  views 
and  aspirations.  Yet  all  the  while  proper 
instruction  was  needed.     Prescription  could 


LBCT.v.j  ORIGIN    OF    THE    CONCERT.  1 77 

not  avail.  When,  more  than  a  century  and 
a  half  ago  (1715),  the  King  of  Denmark 
issued  a  letter  ordering  that  a  petition  for 
missions  in  India  and  Finmark  be  introduced 
into  the  church  prayers,  it  occasioned  no 
smxall  dislike,  a  dislike  which  found  strong 
expression  in  an  anonymous  pamphlet' 
Whatever  occasional  gatherings  for  such  a 
purpose  there  had  been  in  New  England 
since  its  settlement,  and  in  older  countries 
perhaps  before  the  Reformation,  there  is  no 
evidence  that  they  were  frequent  or  period- 
ical, or  general.  The  most  we  can  safely 
conjecture  is  that  prayer  for  the  universal 
diffusion  of  Christian  truth  had  been  only 
sporadic,  irregular,  and  infrequent. 

The  earliest  instance  of  spontaneous, 
stated  supplication,  such  as  is  now  in  mind, 
appears  to  have  been  at  Herrnhut,  Silesia, 
the  central  home  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum.  A 
certain  naturalness  marks  its  origin  —  united 
prayer  for  missions  springing  up  among  the 

^  y.  F.  Fenger.    Geschichte  der  Trankebarschen  Mission.    103-4. 


I  y8       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  v. 

United  Brethren.  That  church  has  been 
surpassed  by  no  other  of  modern  times  in 
devout  evangelistic  enterprise.  The  loth  of 
February,  1728,  a  day  of  thanksgiving  and 
prayer,  was  memorable  in  their  history.  A 
Pentecostal  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  came 
upon  the  congregation,  and  awakened  deep 
desires  for  promoting  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Conversation  turned  upon  the  state  of  re- 
mote regions  in  Asia  and  Africa;  upon 
Greenland  and  Lapland.  Count  Zinzendorf 
expressed  the  belief  that  those  distant  lands 
might  yet  be  visited  by  some  of  their  num- 
ber. For  a  while  previous  it  had  been  the 
practice  to  read  accounts  from  absent  breth- 
ren at  the  meetings  for  singing.  But  such 
communications  having  begun  to  accumulate, 
a  special  day  of  prayer  and  thanksgiving 
was  now  set  apart  every  month,  and  the 
compass  of  thought  and  desire  was  greatly 
expanded.  This  enlarged  range  of  vision 
and  petition  continued  till,  four  years  later 
(August  18,  1732),  two  of  the  brethren 
started   out   from    Herrnhut,    the  first  of  a 


LHCT.f.]  ORIGIN    OF   THE    CONCERT.  1 79 

lonof  list  of  Moravian  missions.  Brethren 
in  Greenland  were  the  earliest  on  foreim 
ground  to  set  apart  a  day  which  they  called 
the  Monthly  Prayer  Day.  At  those  seasons, 
as  now  among  us,  animating  accounts  of 
their  work  in  the  West  Indies  and  elsewhere 
were  sometimes  read  to  the  Eskimos.  When 
the  Moravian  settlement  was  founded  at 
Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania  (1741),  not  a  few 
became  missionaries.  Among  earliest  ar- 
rangements made  by  the  settlers  was  a 
dividing  of  the  community  into  two  parts  — 
one  to  engage  in  secular  affairs,  the  other 
called  fishermen,  to  devote  themselves  to 
evangelistic  work,  especially  among  the 
Indians.  One  hundred  and  thirty-one  of 
those  heathen  were  baptized  at  that  focus  of 
Christian  activity.  Mission  Days  were  in- 
stituted, when  reports  were  given  by  the 
traveling  evangelists,  and  prayer  was  offered 
for  the  conversion  of  the  world.  On  one 
of  those  occasions  (June  9,  1749)  Eskimo 
converts,  who  had  come  in  the  missionary 
ship  from  Greenland  for  a   visit,  converted 


l8o      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  v 

Arawak  Indians  from  South  America,  and 
converts  from  North  American  tribes  met  in 
the  first  chapel  built  at  Bethlehem,  and  sang, 
each  in  his  own  tongue,  the  praises  of  their 
common  Saviour.  At  another  time  Bishop 
Spangenberg  announced  that  five  mission- 
aries had  died  in  St.  Thomas,  and  that  the 
mission  there  was  in  distress  for  want  of 
laborers.  Before  the  day  closed  eight  of  the 
brethren  called  upon  the  bishop  and  offered 
to  go  to  that  island  and  fill  the  places  of  the 
fallen.  In  1751  a  body  of  more  than  one 
hundred  Shawanese  and  Nanticokes  visited 
Bethlehem,  where  primitive  Christian  zeal 
reigned,  and  a  great  council  was  held,  having 
in  view  the  spread  of  the  gospel  among  those 
tribes.  Not  a  little  prayer  was  offered.'  To 
the  present  time  the  monthly  service  is 
maintained  in  all  the  Moravian  provinces 
and  missions. 


*  MS.  of  Bishop  Edmund  de  Schweinitz. 


LECT.v.]  RISE    IN    EUROPE.  l8l 


RISE    IN    EUROPE. 

The  awakening  of  a  missionary  spirit 
among  the  brethren  at  Herrnhut  and  the 
Pietists  of  Germany  showed  the  dawn  of  a 
better  day  after  the  sad  decline  of  vital  piety 
in  continental  Europe.  A  similar  period  of 
dead  formality  had  been  experienced  in 
Great  Britain.  From  the  early  part  of  the 
last  century  onward,  Arianism  and  Deism 
gained  ground  rapidly.  Decline  of  spiritual 
life  in  the  Established  Church  and  among 
dissenters  became  deplorable.  "  From  the 
year  1700,"  says  Bishop  Ryle,  "till  about 
the  era  of  the  French  Revolution,  England 
seemed  barren  of  all  that  is  really  good."  .  .  . 
"  Sermons  everywhere  were  little  better  than 
miserable  moral  essays,  utterly  devoid  of 
anything  likely  to  awaken,  convert,  or  save 
souls."  ..."  The  celebrated  lawyer  Black- 
stone  had  the  curiosity,  early  in  the  reign  of 
George  III,  to  go  from  church  to  church  and 
hear  every  clergyman  of   note  in    London. 


1 82       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,     [lect.  v. 

He  says  that  he  did  not  hear  a  single  dis- 
course which  had  more  Christianity  In  It 
than  the  writings  of  Cicero,  and  that  it  would 
have  been  impossible  for  him  to  discover, 
from  what  he  heard,  whether  the  preacher 
were  a  follower  of  Confucius,  of  Mahomet, 
or  of  Christ !  "  ' 

But  a  new  era  began  at  length.  Only  a 
year  after  that  notable  effusion  of  the  spirit 
of  grace  and  supplications  on  the  little 
Herrnhut  community  (1728)  a  few  students 
at  the  University  of  Oxford  established  a 
prayer  meeting  (1729),  the  cradle  of  one  of 
the  greatest  religious  movements  since  the 
Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century.  Evan- 
gelical Christendom  may  well  praise  God 
for  the  rise  of  Oxford  Methodism.  John 
Wesley  earned  many  a  nickname,  but  no 
one  more  slsfnlficant  than  Curator  of  the 
Holy  Club.  It  was  a  praying  club.  The 
most  remarkable  preacher  of  that  century, 
or  perhaps  of  any  century,  received  impress 

*  The  Christian  Leaders  of  the  Church.     London,  1878.    13-15. 


LECT.v.]  RISE    IN    EUROPE.  183 

and  impulse  there.  Whitefield  and  the 
Wesleys,  specially  taught  and  powerfully 
moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  began  a  move- 
ment, the  widening  waves  of  which  still  bless 
remote  nations.  Men  of  might  in  prayer 
and  labor  —  Grimshaw,  Berridge,  Venn, 
Walker  of  Truro  and  Fletcher  of  Madeley — 
were  raised  up  as  fellow- workers  unto  the 
kingdom  of  God.  To  the  sam.e  category 
belonged  WilHam  Romaine ;  and  yet  when, 
in  1750,  he  issued  an  earnest  invitation  to 
the  friends  of  the  Estabh'shed  Church  to  join 
with  several  of  their  brethren,  clergy  and 
laity,  in  London,  during  the  present  troub- 
lous times,'  he  knew  of  only  about  a  dozen 
clergymen  in  the  whole  kingdom  who  would 
unite  with  him  in  such  a  plan.  But  when 
he  died  (1795),  Romaine  estimated  the  num- 
ber of  like-minded  men  in  the  Establishment 
at  not  less  than  three  hundred.  Of  kindred 
spirit  with  these  devout  men  were  such  as 
Howell   Harris,  Griffith   Jones,  and    Daniel 

*  Romaine's  Works.     London,  1837.     Pages  864-71. 


184      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  v. 

Rowlands  in  Wales.  Quickening  influences 
began  to  show  themselves  in  Scotland 
also.  McCulloch  at  Cambuslang  and  Robe 
at  Kilsyth  were  among  those  eminently 
blessed  in  their  labors.  Yet  the  published 
invitation  of  Romaine  just  mentioned  had 
respect  only  to  united  prayer  in  behalf  of 
national  and  local  interests.  It  however 
proved  one  of  the  most  useful  publications 
of  that  excellent  man,  and  suggestive  of 
concerted  supplication  for  other  objects 
whenever  due  preparation  and  occasion 
should  exist. 

So  far  as  is  known,  the  first  meeting  in 
Great  Britain  that  had  express  and  special 
reference  to  foreign  missionary  progress  was 
started  by  Dr.  Doddridge  in  174 1.  A  paper 
was  drawn  up  by  him,  signed  by  himself 
and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  members  of 
his  congregation  at  Northampton.  Its  first 
articles  are  suggestive,  and  read  as  if  com- 
posed   in    1 84 1    instead    of    1741/       Three 

*  Appendix,  note  38. 


LBCT.v.]  RISE    IN    EUROPE.  1 85 

years  later  (October,  1744)  there  sprang 
up  a  movement  for  some  general  concert, 
though  less  specifically  of  a  missionary  char- 
acter. It  was  a  product  of  that  revival 
which  began  in  the  west  of  Scotland  two 
years  before.  Several  ministers,  contem- 
plating the  state  of  the  church  and  of  man- 
kind at  large,  "did  judge  that  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  at  such  a  day,  loudly  called 
such  as  were  concerned  for  the  welfare  of 
Zion  to  united  and  extraordinary  supplica- 
tions to  the  God  of  all  grace,"  "that  he 
would  bless  all  nations  with  the  light  of  the 
gospel,  and  fill  the  whole  earth  with  his 
glory."  Fill  the  whole  earth!  There  was 
breadth,  a  token  of  devotional  grasp  which 
showed  that  a  new  era  could  not  be  far  off. 
They  carried  the  matter  themselves  first  of 
all  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  then  resolved 
upon  the  following  plan  for  carrying  their 
object  into  effect:  "To  set  apart  such  time 
on  Saturday  evening  and  Sabbath  morning, 
every  week,  for  the  purpose  before  stated, 
as  other  duties  might  allow ;    and,  more  sol- 


1 86      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,     [lect.  v. 

emnly,  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  quarter 
(beginning  with  the  first  Tuesday  of  Novem- 
ber then  next  ensuing),  either  the  whole  day 
or  part  of  the  day,  as  persons  might  find 
themselves  disposed,  or  think  their  circum- 
stances would  allow;  the  time  to  be  spent 
either  in  private  praying  societies  or  in  pub- 
lic meetings,  or  alone  in  secret,  as  should  be 
found  most  practicable  or  judged  most  con- 
venient by  such  as  were  willing  to  join  in  this 
service."  Two  years  were  first  agreed  upon 
for  the  experiment.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  there  was  an  agreement  to  continue 
seven  years  longer;  a  memorial  of  their 
proceedings  was  published  (1746),  and  other 
denominations  were  invited  to  join  in  the 
concert. 

Among  the  Baptist  churches  of  England 
and  Wales  an  early  readiness  to  enter  into  the 
new  and  refreshing  current  showed  itself.' 
Seventeen  hundred  and  eighty-four  became 
a  notable  year  in  the  annals  of  supplication. 

*  Appendix,  note  39. 


LECT.v.]  RISE    IN    EUROPE.  187 

Those  earnest  men,  Fuller,  Sutcliff  and  Ry- 
land,  had  conferred  and  prayed  together 
regarding  the  interests  of  their  respective 
churches.  President  Edwards's  work  propos- 
ing a  general  union  in  prayer  for  the  revival 
of  religion,  at  once  a  text-book  and  inspira- 
tion, was  reprinted.  Fuller  issued  his  Per- 
suasions to  extraordinary  union  in  prayer 
for  the  revival  of  religion.  Ministers  began 
to  meet  periodically  for  that  purpose.  Res- 
olutions, moved  by  the  venerable  Sutcliff, 
were  adopted  at  the  meeting  of  the  Baptist 
Association  at  Nottingham  (1784),  and  after- 
wards by  similar  meetings  elsewhere,  recom- 
mending that  the  first  Monday  evening  of 
every  month  be  set  apart  to  pray  for  the 
revival  of  religion  and  the  spread  of  the 
gospel.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  those 
periodical  assemblages  served  to  give  im- 
pulse to  the  missionary  spirit  which  gradually 
kindled  and  at  length  took  active  form  near 
the  close  of  the  century.' 

^  Appendix,  note  40. 


1 88       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER.    Uect.  v. 

On  the  Continent  there  were  instances  of 
united  and  unusual  prayer,  as  during  a  re- 
vival in  the  Duchy  of  Guelderland  (1749-- 
51).  Here  and  there  was  a  case  like  that  of 
Oberlin,  the  well-known  pastor  at  Ban-de-la- 
Roche  in  the  northeast  of  France,  who  had 
a  paper,  printed  in  German  and  French,  put 
up  conspicuously  in  every  cottage  of  his 
large  parish ;  and  the  placard  contained, 
with  other  articles,  the  following : '  "  Every 
member  of  this  society  shall  pray,  on  the 
first  Monday  of  every  month,  that  the  mis- 
sionaries employed  in  the  conversion  of  sav- 
age and  idolatrous  nations  in  all  parts  of 
the  world  may  be  supported  and  sustained 
against  the  wiles  of  the  devil."  ..."  Every 
member  shall  pray  that  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  may  be  fully 
and  generally  established  among  the  in- 
numerable Pagans,  Turks,  Jews,  and  nomi- 
nal Christians."     At  the  close  of  the  century 


*  Memoirs  of  John  Frederick  Oberlin.     London.     Third  Edi- 
tion, 1831. 


LECT.v.]  IN    AMERICA.  1 89 

(1799)  twelve  pious  laymen  of  Elberfeld 
associated  themselves  for  prayer  in  behalf 
of  missions  to  the  heathen  —  the  first  Ger- 
man mission  union.' 

While,  however,  the  scope  of  devotional 
vision  had  been  evidently  enlarged,  and  a 
growing  definiteness  of  desire  had  become 
manifest,  the  clearly  defined  missionary  con- 
cert was  not  yet  established.  But  the  quick- 
ened spiritual  life  of  Great  Britain,  as  seen  in 
a  new  order  of  prayerfulness,  was  a  needful 
preparation  for  something  yet  more  specific 
and  far-reaching.  Epochs  of  prayer  are  the 
most  significant  epochs  in  the  history  of 
Christ's  kingdom. 

IN    AMERICA. 

Our  land  was  experiencing  a  sad  decline 
of  religious  earnestness  at  the  beginning  of 
the  last  century ;  and  yet  new  life  manifested 
itself  earlier   here    than    in    England.     Un- 


*  G.  Warneck.     Abriss   einer   Geschichte   der   prot.  Missionen. 
Leipzig,  1883.     S.  67. 


1 90      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,     [lect.  v. 

converted  members  in  the  churches,  and 
even  unconverted  men  in  the  ministry,  were 
evidently  numerous.  But  the  revival  of 
1734-5,  at  Northampton,  where  were  more 
than  three  hundred  converts  in  the  course 
of  six  months,  was  the  harbinger  of  better 
days.  Thence  onward  to  the  present  time, 
interrupted  by  depression  during  and  after 
the  war  of  the  Revolution,  there  has  been 
growth  in  religious  vitality  and  enterprise. 
Whiteiield's  first  visit  to  this  country  oc- 
curred in  1739;  and  revivals  were  already  a 
preparation  for  his  labors  in  New  England 
and  the  midland  colonies.  The  fervent 
Blair,  the  Tennents,  and  others  were  roused 
to  great  earnestness.  At  the  time  of  White- 
field^s  third  visit  (1744-48)  not  less  than 
twenty  ministers  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Boston  regarded  him  as  the  means  of  their 
conversion.'  Prayer  meetings,  and  prayer 
of  a  different  type  from  what  had  been 
prevalent,  were  widely  introduced. 

*  Tracy's  Great  Awakening,  393. 


LECT.  v.]  IN    AMERICA.  I9I 

When  the  memorial  of  ministers  in  Scot- 
land recommending  a  concert  came  into  the 
hands  of  Jonathan  Edwards  (1746)  it  was 
natural  that  his  comprehensive  and  sagacious 
mind  should  take  up  the  subject  in  a  way 
no  one  had  done  before.  This  is  evident 
from  a  series  of  sermons  preached  by  him, 
and  published  (1747)  in  a  work  already 
referred  to,  aiming  *'  to  promote  explicit 
agreement  and  visible  union  of  God's  people 
in  extraordinary  prayer  for  the  revival  of 
religion  and  the  advancement  of  Christ's 
kingdom  on  earth."  But  you  notice  that 
the  subject  of  proposed  joint  supplication 
was  general,  not  specifically  missionary. 

Men  like  David  Brainerd,  as  well  as  his 
brother  John,  would  of  course  appreciate 
the  plan  therein  presented.  May  20,  1749, 
Edwards  wrote  to  Erskine  of  Scotland, 
speaking  of  the  benefits  of  good  tidings 
from  that  country,'  "particularly  in  ani- 
mating many  in  the  duty  of  extraordinary, 

*  Works,  X,  399,  400. 


192       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  v. 

united  prayer  for  a  general  revival  of  re- 
ligion, and  promoting  the  concert  for  prayer 
proposed  from  Scotland;  which  prevails 
more  and  more  in  these  parts  of  the  world ; 
which,  together  with  some  other  things  in 
some  places,  are  cause  of  thankfulness,  and 
bode  well  to  the  interests  of  Zion." ' 
Churches  gradually  came  into  the  observ- 
ance. The  records,  for  instance,  of  a  Con- 
gregational church  in  Connecticut  have 
the  following  minute:  "  1751,  July  4th.  At 
a  meeting  of  the  First  Church  in  Bran- 
ford,  voted,  that  we  will  join  the  concert  of 
prayer  proposed  from  Scotland,  A.  D.  1744." 
The  practice,  however,  did  not  by  any 
means  become  universal,  nor  was  it  of  very 
long  continuance.  During  the  revolution- 
ary struggle  this,  like  most  forms  of  religious 
endeavor,  suffered  a  decline.  After  the 
declaration  of  peace  (1783)  the  union  re- 
ceived to  some  extent  a  new  impulse,  the 
time    being   changed    to    Monday   evening. 

»Do.,  i,  275-6. 


LBCT.  v.]  IN    AMERICA.  1 93 

A  goodly  number  of  churches,  and  that  too 
in  different  denominations  of  Christians, 
and  in  other  lands  as  well,  adopted  the 
practice/ 

*  Appendix,  note  41. 


LECTURE  VI. 

MISSIONARY    CONCERTS 
OF   PRAYER. 

CONTINUED.) 


MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER. 

(CONTINUED.) 

In  the  preceding  lecture  an  attempt  was 
made  to  trace  the  genesis  of  modern  prayer 
unions.  We  found  that  in  the  concert  of 
special  prayer,  which  arose  during  the  last 
century,  petitions  for  a  universal  spread  of 
the  gospel  began  to  be  offered  more  gener- 
ally than  before.  But  we  did  not  reach  the 
time  when  our  present  periodical  concert, 
specially  devoted  to  missions,  was  established. 
We  now  resume  the  historical  inquiry. 

The  Prayer  Union,  it  will  be  remembered, 
was  neither  exclusively  nor  distinctly  a 
missionary  concert.  Edwards's  Humble 
Attempt  did  not  have  foreign  missions  par- 
ticularly in  view.  His  work,  and  that  con- 
cert which  it  helped  on,  originated  in  the 
felt  want  of  home  quickening  and  of  more 

(197) 


1 98      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,   [lect.  vt. 

efficient  local  evangelism.  The  same  was 
true  at  first  with  Andrew  Fuller  and  his 
friends.  Religious  desires,  however,  took  on 
more  breadth  and  fervor,  and  this  devotional 
education  prepared  the  way  for  concerted 
specific  pleading  in  behalf  of  unevangelized 
nations.  Missions  to  heathen  peoples,  which 
became  more  numerous  at  the  close  of  the 
eighteenth  century  and  since  the  opening  of 
the  nineteenth,  were  an  outcome.  All  great 
and  benign  religious  movements  are  born  of 
prayer,  and  all  effectual  prayer  is  character- 
ized by  definiteness.  In  the  spirit  of  pre- 
vailing supplication  for  others,  whoever  they 
may  be,  there  breathes  the  spirit  of  missions. 

EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED    AND    SIX. 

The  year  1806  is  one  of  note  in  the  his- 
tory of  supplication  and  of  evangelization. 
Among  English-speaking  Christians  a  grow- 
ing interest  in  the  spiritual  condition  of  the 
heathen  manifested  itself.  For  the  first 
time  two  bishops  of  the  Established  Church 


LECT.vi.]      EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED    AND    SIX.  1 99 

took  part  in  the  Church  Missionary  Society ; 
and  in  that  year  the  first  two  English  clergy- 
men were  appointed  to  missionary  service. 
Three  evangelistic  laborers  started  from 
Europe  for  Sierra  Leone.  The  two  Al- 
brechts  and  their  associates,  sent  out  by  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  pursued  their 
painful  journey  beyond  the  Orange  River 
toward  the  interior  of  Namaqua  Land. 
English  rulers  in  India  did  indeed  prohibit 
Chater  and  Robinson,  Baptist  missionaries, 
from  taking  any  step  by  conversation  or 
otherwise  toward  persuading  the  natives  to 
embrace  Christianity,  but  Robert  Ralston,  a 
Presbyterian  gentleman  of  Philadelphia,  re- 
mitted to  their  mission,  from  himself  and 
others,  between  three  and  four  thousand  dol- 
lars ;  Claudius  Buchanan  was  pursuing  his 
important  researches  on  the  Coromandel 
coast ;  and  John  Norris,  of  Salem,  Massa- 
chusetts, pledged  ten  thousand  dollars  to- 
ward the  proposed  Theological  Seminary  at 
Andover,  because  of  his  interest  in  foreign 
missions,  and  in  an  expectation,  which  has 


200      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  vi. 

been  realized,  that  many  ministers  would 
there  be  trained  for  service  among  the 
heathen.  March  6,  1806,  Rev.  Zechariah 
Mayhew,  the  fifth  of  this  name  and  direct 
lineage,  who  labored  among  Indians  on 
Martha's  Vineyard,  died  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
nine.  The  next  month,  April  25,  Alexander 
Duff  was  born.  It  was  in  1806  that  Samuel 
J.  Mills  —  whose  mother  delighted  to  talk  of 
Eliot  and  Brainerd,  and  who  had  consecrated 
this  child  to  the  service  of  God  as  a  mission- 
ary—  entered  Williams  College.  The  first 
token  of  conversion  which  his  father  noticed 
( 1 801)  was  the  remark:  "I  cannot  conceive 
of  any  course  of  life  in  which  to  pass  my 
days  that  would  be  so  pleasant  as  to  go  and 
communicate  the  gospel  of  salvation  to  the 
poor  heathen."  He  went  to  Williamstown 
fresh  from  a  revival  atmosphere  in  his  native 
Litchfield  County,  Connecticut,  and  began 
at  once  to  labor  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
fellow-students.  But  his  thoughts  went  forth 
to  the  heathen  world.  With  four  praying 
associates,  sheltered  by  a  haystack  from  the 


LECT.vi.]  CERTAIN    RESULTS.  20I 

passing  thunder-storm,  Mills  proposed  send- 
ing the  gospel  to  benighted  Asiatics,  declar- 
ing it  could  be  done.  "  Come,"  said  he,  "  let 
us  make  it  a  subject  of  prayer  under  this 
haystack,  while  the  dark  clouds  are  going 
and  the  clear  sky  is  coming."  All  but  one 
led  successively  in  behalf  of  foreign  missions, 
Mills  closing  with  petitions  that  seemed  en- 
thusiastic. That  band,  somewhat  enlarged, 
continued  to  meet  once  a  week  either  in  a 
grove  or  at  a  private  dwelling,  and  the  sub- 
ject of  evangelizing  the  heathen  continued 
to  find  place  in  their  supplications.'  Such 
was  the  first  specific  and  exclusively  mission- 
ary concert  in  this  country. 

CERTAIN    RESULTS. 

And  what  followed?  It  led  to  the  first 
specific  and  exclusively  foreign  missionary 
society  in  the  United  States,  which  was 
formed  at  Williams  College  two  years  later 
(September  7,  1808)  and  of  which  the  follow- 

^  Proceedings  of  the  Missionary  Jubilee  held  at  Williams  Col- 
lege.    Boston,  1856. 


202       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,   [lhct.  vi. 

ing  is  the  constitution  :  "  The  object  of  this 
Society  shall  be  to  effect,  in  the  person  of 
its  members,  a  mission  to  the  heathen.  No 
person  shall  be  admitted  who  is  under  an 
engagement  of  any  kind  which  shall  be  in- 
compatible with  going  on  a  mission  to  the 
heathen.  Each  member  shall  keep  abso- 
lutely free  from  every  engagement  which, 
after  his  prayerful  attention,  and  after  con- 
sultation with  the  brethren,  shall  be  deemed 
incompatible  with  the  objects  of  this  Society ; 
and  shall  hold  himself  ready  to  go  on  a 
mission  when  and  where  duty  may  call." 
Among  the  first  five  signatures  then  made 
—  Samuel  J.  Mills  one  of  them  —  are  the 
names  of  James  Richards  and  Luther  Rice, 
who  a  few  years  later  became  foreign  mis- 
sionaries. Two  months  afterward  (November 
9,  1808)  the  missionary  band  adopted  this  res- 
olution :  "  That  we  will,  every  Sabbath  morn- 
ing at  sunrise,  address  the  throne  of  grace  in 
behalf  of  the  objects  of  this  Society." ' 

^  Samuel  M.    Worcester.     Life    and   Labors   of   Rev.    Samuel 
Worcester,  D.D.     Boston,  1852.     Vol.  ii,  page  85. 


LECT.  VI.]  CERTAIN    RESULTS.  203 

It  is  now  one  third  of  a  century  since  I 
stood  by  a  grave  at  Tillepally  in  Ceylon. 
Beneath  an  unpretentious  monument  shaded 
3y  a  margosa  tree  rest  the  remains  of  one  of 
the  men  who  were  at  that  meeting  under  the 
haystack.  The  inscription  reads  thus :  "  In 
memory  of  the  Rev.  James  Richards,  A.M., 
American  missionary,  who  died  August  3, 
1822,  aged  36  years  and  3  months.  One  of 
the  projectors  of  the  first  missions  from  his 
country,  he  gave  himself  to  the  work  —  a 
physician  both  to  the  soul  and  body.  He 
was  in  health  laborious,  in  sickness  patient, 
in  death  triumphant.  He  is  not,  for  God 
took  him."  Yes,  and  just  as  God  took  him 
he  exclaimed,  "  Oh  !  what  glories  I  see  !  " 
My  thoughts  ran  back  to  Williamstown,  to 
the  prayer  meeting  and  the  consecration 
there ;  and  then  glanced  over  the  many 
streams  of  blessed  influence  that  have  flowed 
thence  to  the  several  continents  and  many 
islands  of  the  sea.  True,  Richards's  term  of 
service  on  foreign  ground  was  short,  and 
even    that  brief   period    one    of   pulmonary 


204       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,   [lect.  vi. 

weakness  and  decline ;  but  he  was  a  man  of 
faith,  a  man  of  prayer,  and  on  the  scale  of 
the  invisible  kingdom  doubtless  lived  as  long 
as  an  antediluvian  patriarch.  The  next 
Lord's  Day  after  I  visited  this  humble  grave, 
while  attending  divine  service  in  a  large 
place  of  worship  overshadowed  by  lofty 
palms  and  other  luxuriant  trees  of  the  trop- 
ics—  sweet-scented  shrubs  and  flowers  send- 
ins:  in  their  incense  —  a  bird  with  brilliant 
plumage  suddenly  entered  by  a  window  and 
darted  out  by  the  one  opposite.  It  was  just 
a  flash  of  beauty  through  the  Lord's  taber- 
nacle. Yet  that  simple  incident  made  a 
more  vivid  and  lasting  impression  than  all 
the  flocks  of  birds  seen  amidst  the  groves 
and  spicy  breezes  of  Ceylon.  Life  too  is  to 
be  estimated  by  the  impression  it  makes, 
whether  that  be  the  result  of  a  few  moments 
or  of  many  years. 

So  far  then  as  history  has  ascertained,  the 
first  personal  consecration  in  our  land  to 
evangelistic  labor  among  the  heathen  of 
other  lands,  as  well  as  the  first  missionary 


LECT.  VI.]  CERTAIN    RESULTS.  205 

prayer  meeting,  the  first  expressly  such,  took 
place  in  the  shadow  of  Greylock.  Between 
that  prayer  meeting  and  the  generally  rising 
tide  of  missionary  interest  in  this  country 
the  connection  is  indisputable  and  intimate. 
"  I  have  been  in  situations  to  know,"  says 
Dr.  Griffin,  President  of  Williams  College, 
"  that  from  the  counsels  formed  in  that 
sacred  conclave,  or  from  the  mind  of  Mills 
himself,  arose  the  American  Board  of  Com- 
missioners for  Foreign  Missions,  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society,  and  the  African  School 
under  the  care  of  the  Synod  of  New  York 
and  New  Jersey ;  besides  all  the  impetus 
given  to  domestic  missions,  to  the  Coloniza- 
tion Society,  and  to  the  general  cause  of 
benevolence  in  both  hemispheres."  ' 

The  hearts  of  other  young  men  were, 
quite  independently  of  one  another,  moved 
at  the  same  period  to  inquiry  and  prayer 
regarding  personal  duty  to  the  heathen. 
Notably  was  that  true  of  Asahel  Nettleton, 

*  Life  and  Labors  of  Samuel  Worcester,  ii,  chap.  2. 


206       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  vi. 

who  was  born  the  same  day  with  Mills 
(April  2  1,  1783).  The  two  men  were  also 
born  again  about  the  same  time  in  the  year 
1 80 1,  and  both  devoted  themselves  to  foreign 
missions,  although,  for  different  reasons, 
neither  entered  upon  that  service.  An  en- 
tire harmony  of  views  and  feelings  led  to 
their  acquaintance  '  (1807).  ^^^  others  be- 
sides the  group  at  Williamstown,  as  Nott'' 
and  Judson,  were,  after  no  long  interval, 
similarly  moved  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Such 
coincidences  in  the  kingdom  of  divine  grace 
and  providence  always  betoken  sonie  note- 
worthy movement.  Under  the  lead  of  Mills, 
it  should  be  added,  the  Society  of  Inquiry 
in  the  Andover  Theological  College,  then 
so  called,  took  its  rise,  January  8,  18 11, 
which  society  voted  that  its  members  set 
apart  a  half  or  whole  hour,  beginning  at  sun- 
rise on  the  Lord's  Day,  to  secret  prayer  for 


^  Bcnnet  Tyler.     Memoir  of   the   Life  and    Character  of   Rev. 
Asahel  Nettleton.     Hartford,  1S45.     Chap.  2. 

*  Who  died  in  the  city  of  Hartford,  June  1st,  1869. 


LECT.  VI.]  CERTAIN    RESULTS.  20/ 

the  spread  of  the  gospel  among  the  heathen.' 
Shortly  after  there  occurred  an  incident 
which  showed  how  the  spirit  of  supplication 
was  being  poured  upon  youths  younger  than 
those  in  the  Theological  Seminary.  On  a 
Fast  Day  in  the  spring  of  the  same  year  six 
pupils  of  Phillips  Academy  went  into  a 
grove  behind  the  Old  South  meeting-house 
at  Andover,  and  knelt  down  together  round 
the  stump  of  a  tree.  They  had  no  previous 
special  connection  with  one  another,  and 
their  meeting  was  without  previous  fore- 
thought or  appointment.  But  the  half-dozen 
who  extemporized  that  season  of  prayer  be- 
came men  of  mark  in  the  world  of  Christian 
activity.  Among  them  were  the  late  Dr. 
Stephen  H.  Tyng,  of  New  York,  Alva 
Woods,  President  of  the  University  of  Ala- 
bama, Daniel  Temple,  missionary  in  the 
Levant,  and  William  Goodell,  whose  record 
of  "  F'orty  Years  in  the  Turkish  Empire  "  is 
so  well  known.^ 

*  Memoirs  of  American  Missionaries  formerly  connected  with 
the  Society  of  Inquiry.     Boston,  1833.     Page  17. 
^  Proceedings  of  the  Missionary  Jubilee.     Page  70. 


208       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,   [lect.  vi 


MONTHLY    MISSIONARY    CONCERT. 

The  year  1806  has  been  named.  A 
decade  thereafter  we  come  to  another  epoch 
of  some  note  in  the  history  of  missions  and 
in  the  history  of  intercession.  October  23, 
181 5,  five  missionaries  sail  from  Newbury- 
port  for  Northern  Ceylon  ;  after  much  de- 
vout wrestling  our  missionaries  at  Bombay 
receive  permission  from  the  government  to 
remain  in  India,  and  they  begin  to  preach  in 
Marathi ;  Messrs.  Fyvie  and  Skinner,  sent 
out  by  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
arrive  at  Bombay  (August) ;  William  Jowett, 
one  of  the  first  clergymen  of  the  Church  of 
England  who  offered  service  to  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  embarks  (September  4) 
for  Malta ;  the  Wesleyan  Mission  in  South 
Africa  is  begun ;  Dr.  Henderson  visits  Ice- 
land in  behalf  of  the  British  and  Foreis^n 
Bible  Society;  Henry  Obookiah,  who  was 
the  occasion  of  our  mission  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  is  received  into  the  church  at  Tor- 


LECT.vi.]  IN    THIS    COUNTRY.  209 

ringford,  Connecticut  (April  9).  After  eight- 
een years  of  labor,  apparently  to  little  pur- 
pose till  then,  the  Spirit  of  God  in  answer 
to  prayer  is  poured  upon  Tahiti ;  idols  are 
thrown  into  the  fire,  some  of  the  priesthood 
renounce  idolatry,  and  the  Christian  relig- 
ion becomes  apparently  triumphant.  Protest- 
ant Christendom  was  gradually  waking  up 
more  and  more  to  its  evangelistic  duties  and 
to  the  need  of  a  wdder  and  stronger  grasp  in 
prayer. 

IN    THIS    COUNTRY. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  missionary 
monthly  concert  of  prayer  had  been  intro- 
duced into  the  United  States,  at  least  not  at 
all  generally,  before  181 5.  True,  as  long  ago 
as  1747  David  Brainerd  left  a  dying  injunction 
for  his  beloved  Christian  Indians,  that,  at  the 
concert  which  the  year  before  had  been 
recommended  from  Scotland,  they  should 
pray  for  the  conversion  of  the  world.  True, 
as  we  have  seen,  the  missionary  element 
entered  now  and  then,  here  and  there,  into 


2IO      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,   [lect.  vi. 

that  observance.  The  New  Yor^  Missionary 
Society,  composed  of  Dutch  Reformed,  Pres- 
byterian, and  Baptist  churches,  and  organized 
November,  1796,  adopted  a  "  Plan  for  Social 
Prayer"  (January,  1798),  by  which  a  series 
of  union  prayer  meetings  was  established. 
Those  meetings  were  held  on  the  second 
Wednesday  evening  of  each  month,  and  in 
rotation  at  the  several  churches  thus  united. 
The  object  was  defined  to  be  "  the  purpose 
of  offering  up  their  prayers  and  supplica- 
tions to  the  God  of  grace  that  he  would 
be  pleased  to  pour  out  his  Spirit  on  his 
church,  and  send  the  gospel  to  all  nations  ; 
and  that  he  would  succeed  the  endeavors 
of  this  Society  and  all  societies  instituted 
on  the  same  principles  for  the  same  ends." 
It  was  before  that  Society  that  Dr.  John  M. 
Mason  preached  his  well-known  sermon, 
"  Messiah's  Throne  "  (November,  1797),  and 
Dr.  John  PI.  Livingston  his  sermon  "  Christ 
All  in  All  "  (April,  1799).  It  does  not  appear, 
however,  that  this  Society  was  of  long  con- 
tinuance,   or  that   the   meeting  in  question 


LECT.  VI.]  IN    THIS    COUNTRY.  2  I  I 

contributed  very  materially  to  the  spirit  and 
habit  of  prayer  in  behalf  of  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  heathen  nations.' 

The  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church  in  May,  1808,  recommended  "a 
day  of  fasting  and  prayer  that  God  would 
pour  out  his  Spirit  upon  the  churches  more 
generally,  and  bless  the  effort  to  Christianize 
the  heathen,  and  extend  the  blessings  of  the 
gospel."  Brethren  in  Christ  of  every  denom- 
ination were  invited  to  join  in  this,  and 
ministers  were  requested  to  cooperate  in 
securing  a  wide  observance.  But  such 
movements,  so  far  as  they  were  public  and 
at  all  general,  had  been,  with  respect  to  mis- 
sions, only  occasional  and  incidental.  An 
educational  process  was  slowly  going  on. 
Yet  a  union  for  the  monthly  remembrance 
of  the  heathen  world  specially  did  not  then 
exist,  save  only  as  perhaps  an  individual 
church  may  have  adopted  the  practice.^     In 


*  Appendix,  note  42. 
^  Appendix,  note  43. 


2  I  2       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,   [lect.  vi. 

the  Paiioplist  for  January,  1815/  there  ap- 
peared an  article  advocating  a  wider  atten- 
tion to  this  union  meetins:  on  the  first 
Monday  evening  of  every  month,  which  had 
been  adopted  by  inany  Christians  in  Europe, 
among  some  in  America,  among  mission- 
aries too,  their  families  and  conorreorations,  in 
Asia  and  Africa.  Three  years  later  there 
were  said  to  be  hundreds  of  churches  in  our 
country  which  had  taken  up  the  practice,  a 
practice  which  continued  to  extend.''  The 
General  Synod  of  the  Reformed  (Dutch) 
Church,  as  early  as  181 8,  adopted  a  resolu- 
tion favoring  the  observance  of  the  mission- 
ary concert.  At  several  subsequent  synods 
similar  action  has  been  taken.  In  1844  the 
General  Synod  resolved,  "  That  it  be  and 
hereby  is  recommended  to  the  churches  to 
set  apart  the  first  Monday  of  the  next  year 
for  special  prayer  for  the  conversion  of  the 
world." 


*  Vol.  xi,  pages  19,  20. 

*  Appendix,  note  44. 


LECT.vi.]  PARK    STREET    CONCERT.  213 

We  have  now  glanced  at  the  rise  and 
progress  of  one  of  the  most  auspicious  move- 
ments of  modern  times.  No  department  of 
human  agency  in  the  Messianic  kingdom  is 
more  important  than  that  of  faith  —  the 
exercise  of  faith  manifesting  itself  in  united 
supplication  for  the  greatest  of  all  objects. 

PARK    STREET    CONCERT. 

The  earliest  observance  of  this  kind  to 
become  noted  was  the  monthly  concert  at 
Park  Street  Church,  Boston.  It  will  not  be 
out  of  place  to  give  a  sketch.  Although  the 
American  Board  was  organized  in  1810,  and 
its  first  missionaries  embarked  in  181 2,  not 
till  six  years  later  (18 18)  did  the  meeting  now 
referred  to  become  established.'  Jeremiah 
Evarts,  Esq.,  Treasurer  of  the  American 
Board,  having  removed  to  Boston,  took  an 
active  part  in  that  concert,  and  an  invitation 
was  given  to  the  Old  South  "Church  to  join 
them.     The  first  union  meeting  was  held  in 

^  Appendix,  note  45. 


2  14      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

July,  1818/  But  from  1833,  for  about  one 
third  of  a  century,  there  was  a  general 
gathering  in  Park  Street  on  the  first  Monday 
evening  or  first  Sunday  evening  of  January, 
each  year. 

During  the  winter  season  the  attendance 
at  this  united  concert  was  not  far  from 
five  hundred.  Sometimes  the  church  was 
crowded.  The  raising  of  funds  did  not 
occupy  a  prominent  place  in  the  meeting; 
and  yet  collections  for  twenty-four  years 
(181 7 -1842)  amounted  to  over  fifty-two 
tliousand  and  five  hundred  dollars.  A  grow- 
ing interest  had  become  manifest  before  the 
revival  of  1823.  The  Boston  pastors  of  that 
period,  having  little  previous  personal  ac- 
quaintance with  such  seasons  of  marked 
religious  quickening,  thought  the  missionary 
concert  would  interfere  with  the  special  work 
of  grace,  and  hence  appointed  their  several 
inquiry  meetings  instead.  Of  course  the 
concert  languished.     But  those  pastors  after- 

*  Appendix,  note  46. 


LECT.vi.]  PARK    STREET    CONCERT.  215 

wards  changed  their  minds,  as  well  they 
might,  for  nothing  harmonizes  more  readily 
with  a  genuine  revival  interest  than  an 
intelligent  interest  in  Christian  missions. 
The  impenitent  need  to  be  taught  that  it  is 
no  less  their  duty  to  seek  the  salvation  of 
others,  near  and  afar  off,  than  it  is  to  seel: 
their  own  salvation.  Instances  are  on  rec- 
ord in  which  revivals  have  first  manifested 
themselves  at  the  monthly  concert.' 

The  united  concert  was  always  in  charge 
of  some  pastor  or  pastors  who  were  expected 
to  conduct  the  devotional  exercises,  and 
often  to  give  an  address  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  service.  Voices  most  often  heard  were 
those  of  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher  and  Justin 
Edw^ards;  Drs.Wisner,  Blagden,  and  Rogers; 
Samuel  Greene  and  his  successor,  Nehemiah 
Adams.  Lowell  Mason,  with  his  trained 
choir,  did  much  to  render  the  occasion 
delightful.  Time  was  not  consumed  in  dec- 
lamation or  exhortation.    There  was  a  steady 

*  Appendix,  note  47 


2l6       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

aim  to  reach  thoughtful  minds,  and  to  make 
all  intelligently  interested  in  gospel  promul- 
gation. Sometimes  the  service  was  rendered 
specially  interesting  by  the  presence  and 
parting  words  of  missionaries  about  to 
embark,  or  the  salutations  of  one  recently 
returned.  At  such  times,  as  well  as  at  other 
times.  Dr.  Adams  almost  invariably  made 
one  or  more  of  his  characteristic  and  happy 
uses  of  Scripture.  There  are  persons  now 
living  who  love  to  recall  instances,  such  as 
on  the  occasion  when  the  first  packet,  Morn- 
ing Star^  was  about  to  sail.  Dr.  Adams, 
after  speaking  tenderly  to  the  missionaries, 
addressed  a  few  words  specially  to  the  Cap- 
tain, Rev.  Hiram  Bingham,  a  missionary 
and  the  son  of  a  missionary,  closing  with 
"  And  I  will  give  thee  the  Morning  Star." 
The  address  of  Dr.  Poor  at  one  of  these 
gatherings,  soon  after  his  arrival  from  Cey- 
lon, comes  vividly  to  my  mind.  An  unusu- 
ally large  company  of  persons  designated  to 
the  foreign  service  were  present;  and  when 
they  stood  up    to  receive  his  counsels,  the 


LECT.vi.]  PARK    STREET    CONCERT.  217 

venerable  but  vivacious  old  gentleman 
counted  them,  and  then  exclaimed,  "  Eleven  ! 
auspicious  number !  Not  a  Judas  among 
them." 

A  prominent  feature  of  the  meeting 
usually  was  the  communicating  of  well-con- 
sidered and  pertinent  information.  Mr. 
Evarts  early  began  to  give  missionary  intel- 
ligence from  letters  and  journals  received. 
Mr.  Dwight,  pastor  of  Park  Street  Church, 
often  occupied  the  later  portion  of  the  even- 
ing with  miscellaneous  information,  which 
his  accurate  acquaintance  with  geography 
and  his  habits  of  reading  qualified  him  in 
an  unusual  manner  to  do  with  acceptance 
and  profit. 

During  the  last  years  of  Mr.  Evarts's  offi- 
cial life,  and  after  his  decease  (1831),  the 
chief  labor  of  preparing  for  that  part  of  the 
service  at  this  union  meeting,  and  for  five 
years  at  the  separate  Bowdoin  Street  con- 
cert, devolved  upon  Secretary  Anderson.  I 
have  examined  a  pile  of  his  manuscripts 
used  on  those  occasions,  nearly  one  hundred 


2l8      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

and  fifty  in  number,  varying  from  two  pages 
to  over  forty  pages  of  letter  paper  each,  the 
aggregate  of  pages  being  not  far  short  of 
two  thousand.  A  great  variety  of  topics 
occurs  :  Apostolic  missions  ;  origin  of  for- 
eign missions  in  this  country;  Indians  and 
Indian  missions ;  general  view  of  the  hea- 
then world  ;  Brahminic  philosophy  ;  Orient- 
al Christians  ;  the  Nestorians ;  the  Druzes ; 
missionary  geography ;  missionary  maps ; 
the  Sandwich  Islands;  mission  printing 
presses ;  dying  scenes  among  missionaries ; 
death-beds  of  converts  from  heathenism; 
revivals  on  mission  fields;  meetings  of  the 
Board;  summary  of  contributions;  progress 
in  fifty  years.  At  most  of  the  concerts  ex- 
tracts were  also  read  from  letters  received. 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that  free  use 
was  made  of  missionary  maps. 

One  incidental  benefit  of  this  united  con- 
cert was  that  it  served  as  a  bond  of  union 
among  the  churches  of  Boston.  Christian 
men  and  women  of  the  same  faith  gathered 
in  a  consecrated  place,  for  the  time  forget- 


i^cT.vi.]  PARK    STREET    CONCERT.  219 

ting  local  interests  and  local  prejudices,  if 
such  there  were,  joining  supplications  and 
praises,  and  joining  hands,  in  behalf  of  the 
noblest  cause  which  can  enlist  human  sym- 
pathies. Hearts  were  cemented.  *  Mission- 
ary fellowship  is  the  highest  type  of  Chris- 
tian fellowship.  The  Park  Street  Church 
monthly  meeting  was  a  normal  school  for 
broadening  character  and  views.  The  large 
assemblies  were  by  the  very  object  which 
attracted  them  lifted  out  of  the  sphere  of 
what  is  merely  personal  and  narrow.  They 
listened  to  accurate  information  concerning 
the  social  and  moral  condition  of  remote 
heathen  countries,  and  concerning  the  labors 
and  trials  of  missionary  acquaintances  in 
foreign  lands,  as  well  as  the  efforts  of  other 
branches  of  Christ's  church  in  the  same 
great  work ;  prophecies  and  promises  of 
God's  word  were  set  before  them  ;  the  ser- 
vice of  sacred  song  lent  its  elevating  aid  ; 
and  concerted  supplication  carried  their 
thoughts  to  the  summit  and  crown  of  all 
that  is  excellent  and  sublime.     It  was  more 


2  20      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

than  a  liberal  education ;  it  was  a  college  of 
heavenly  discipline.  Many  of  the  older  and 
better  informed  friends  of  missions  now  liv- 
ing in  Boston  and  vicinity  were  trained  in 
that  school.  Young  men  of  the  period  were 
stimulated  to  save  in  order  to  give.  Small 
sums  were  all  they  could  contribute  at  first. 
A  great  sensation  was  created  when  at  length 
a  man  first  gave  one  hundred  dollars. 
Some  of  them  now  give  by  the  thousand 
annually;  and  to  this  training  is  it  due  in 
no  small  measure  that  the  Congregational 
churches  of  Boston  have  contributed  more 
than  two  millions  of  dollars  to  foreign  mis- 
sions. A  great  cloud  of  witnesses  —  Judge 
Hubbard,  Governor  Armstrong,  John  Tap- 
pan,  Henry  Homes,  C.  J.  Homer,  Daniel 
Noyes,  John  C.  Proctor,  Daniel  Safford, 
Moses  L.  Hale,  Charles  Scudder,  William  J. 
Hubbard,  Charles  Stoddard,  and  many  an- 
other graduating  from  that  institute  —  have 
entered  upon  an  advanced  course  of  service 
in  the  kingdom  of  God.  In  its  day  the 
Park    Street    monthly    concert    was    more 


LECT.  VI.]  METHODS    OF    CONDUCTING.  221 

noted  than  any  other ;  and  although  the 
circumstances  were  unique,  this  sketch  may 
supply  hints  for  ordinary  meetings  at  the 
present  time. 

METHODS    OF    CONDUCTING. 

At  the  outset  the  first  Monday  evening  ot 
each  month  was  selected.  As  that  day  of 
the  week  is  one  of  the  most  busy  and  weari- 
some, especially  in  household  labors,  it  was 
found  not  to  be  the  most  eligible,  and  about 
fifty  years  since  the  custom  of  holding  the 
concert  on  Sabbath  evening  came  into 
vogue.  Later  the  observance  on  Monday 
evening  was  very  generally  given  up.  The 
attendance  increased.  But  when  a  change 
in  the  hours  of  Sabbath  services  began  to 
gain  ground  —  the  Bible  school  taking  the 
place  of  the  second  sermon,  the  latter  being 
carried  into  the  evening  —  the  concert  was 
to  some  extent  transferred  once  a  month  to 
the  time  and  place  of  the  weekly  church 
meeting.  That  is  now  the  case  in  some 
of  our   cities  and  larger   towns.     Naturally 


2  2  2       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

the  attendance  of  non-church  members  is 
smaller  than  on  the  Lord's  Day  evening. 
Whatever  arrangement  is  made,  care  should 
be  taken  that  no  discredit  be  put  upon  the 
concert,  and  nothing  be  done  to  create  an 
impression  that  this  object  is  one  of  second- 
ary imiportance.  The  aim  should  be  kept  in 
mind  to  secure  the  advantages  of  general 
simultaneous  supplication.' 

While  uniformity  as  to  time  and  place  is 
desirable,  occasional  meetings  for  the  same 
purpose  may  well  be  held,  as  the  providence 
of  God  shall  sug^o^est.  Some  of  the  most 
interesting  hours  thus  spent  have  been  of 
that  description,  as  groups  of  friends  on 
their  way  to  and  from  distant  missionary 
gatherings  have  assembled  in  a  hotel  parlor, 
or  evening  and  morning  have  so  united  in  a 
railroad  parlor-car,  though  in  rapid  motion.^ 
Once  it  was  my  privilege  to  attend  a  monthly 
concert  in  a  rude  khan  at    Antioch,  Syria, 


*  Appendix,  note  48. 

^  Ora  et  ibi  templum  sit.     Bernard. 


LECT.vi.]  METHODS    OF    CONDUCTING.  223 

whence  the  first  apostolic  missionary  tour 
was  undertaken.  The  thank-offering  of  the 
occasion  was  received  in  a  tin  cup,  from 
which  at  an  earlier  hour  we  had  received 
sacramental  wine  while  celebratins^  Christ's 
dying  love.  Only  let  a  strong  desire  exist 
for  the  coming  of  the  kingdom,  and  oppor* 
tunities  will  occur  not  unfrequently  for 
special  united  intercession.  The  more  out 
of  the  way  the  place,  the  nearer  it  may  be  to 
the  mercy  seat.  A  miner  of  Freiberg  in 
Saxony  once  sent  to  Wichern's  J^m^e  Haus 
at  Horn,  saying  that  down  where  he  was, 
more  than  a  hundred  yards  under  the  earth, 
there  were  hearts  and  hands  raised  to  the 
Lord  in  its  behalf.'  When  Rangoon,  where 
Judson  had  suffered  so  much  from  the  cruel 
Burmese,  was  captured  by  the  English  army, 
Havelock,  with  more  than  a  hundred  of  his 
soldiers,  went  to  a  noted  Buddhist  temple  in 
a  retired  grove,  secured  a  large  room  lined 
with  idols,  and  there  held  a  prayer  meeting. 


'^W.  F.    Stevenson.     Praying  and  Working.      New  York,  1873. 
Page  153. 


2  24      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vr. 

The  place  was  usually  a  dark  one ;  but  now 
every  idol  had  a  lamp  in  its  lap,  while  the 
devout  officer  had  a  Bible  and  hymn-book 
in  his  hand.  The  apartment  rang  with  the 
notes  of  Christian  song  and  supplication. 
It  is  an  apostolic  utterance  :  "  I  desire  there- 
fore that  men  pray  everywhere." 

"  Jesus,  where'er  thy  people  meet, 
There  they  behold  thy  mercy  seat ; 
Where'er  they  seek  thee  thou  art  found, 
And  every  place  is  hallowed  ground." 

There  have  appeared  in  later  years  nu- 
merous books,  tracts,  and  fugitive  articles  on 
the  manner  of  conducting  the  usual  church 
prayer  meeting.  It  is  high  time  that  careful 
consideration  should  be  given  to  the  man- 
agement of  a  meeting  certainly  not  less 
important,  and  which  will  probably  one  day 
come  to  be  regarded  as  second  to  no  other 
gathering  of  the  kind.  The  devotional  part 
of  the  exercises  I  reserve  for  remark  farther 
on. 

It  is  obvious  that  a  brief  portion  of  holy 
Scripture  should  be  read  early  in  the  meet- 


LBCT.vi.]  METHODS    OF    CONDUCTING.  225 

ing.  Missions  have  little  meaning  apart 
from  the  Word  of  God.  Prophetic  an- 
nouncements concerning  the  Messiah  and 
his  kingdom  are  scattered  throughout  the 
Old  Testament.  New  Testament  teachings, 
especially  in  the  parables  concerning  the 
same  kingdom,  its  nature,  claims  and  destiny, 
abound.  Our  Saviour's  words,  relating  as 
they  do  so  often  not  only  to  the  personal 
needs  of  disciples  but  to  soldiers  in  their  Great 
Captain's  long  campaign  still  going  on,  are 
largely  pertinent.  The  lives  and  writings  of 
apostles  furnish  many  appropriate  passages. 
So  does  the  Apocalypse.  No  phase  of 
modern  missions,  no  juncture,  no  individual 
occurrence  can  present  itself  suited  to  which 
some  passages  of  Holy  Writ  may  not  be 
found.  Connected  with  the  brief  Scripture 
lesson,  a  few  words  —  always  few,  condensed 
and  pertinent  —  should  occasionally  at  least 
be  employed,  in  order  to  connect  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  reading  with  the  occasion. 

One  maxim  deserves  a  prominent  place  — 
that  the  missionary  concert  ought  to  be  and 


2  26       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

may  be  made  not  less  attractive  and  valuable 
than  any  other  meeting  the  year  round.  It 
will  cost  labor,  but  it  is  worth  the  labor  it 
costs.  Earnest  prayer  cannot  be  expected 
for  that  in  which  people  feel  no  interest; 
nor  can  they  be  expected  to  feel  an  interest 
in  that  with  which  they  are  not  acquainted. 
Hence  there  must  be  steady,  well-directed 
endeavors  to  carry  on  a  missionary  education 
of  one's  flock.  The  concert  furnishes  a  fine 
opportunity  for  evangelistic  schooling.  Un- 
less years  of  the  best  training  under  prede- 
cessors in  a  given  pastorate  have  prepared 
the  way  in  this  line  for  a  new  incumbent, 
long  and  skillful  pains  may  be  required ;  but 
the  meeting  must  be  rescued  from  a  coma- 
tose state„  However  much  of  general  intel- 
ligence there  may  be  in  a  congregation,  it  is 
not  safe  to  assume  that  there  is  a  great  deal 
known  about  missions.  Dr.  Christlieb,  of 
Bonn,  told  me  of  a  professor  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  that  city,  learned,  well-informed  as  a 
man  of  letters,  not  ill-disposed,  whom  he 
found   to  be  astonishingly  ignorant  of   the 


LBCT.  VI.]         METHODS    OF    CONDUCTING.  227 

great  missionary  movements  in  our  day. 
Such  men  may  be  found  at  other  universities. 
Look  into  a  recent  encyclopaedia  of  theology 
by  Dr.  Rabiger,  and  see  how  inadequate  is 
the  range  of  literature  to  which  he  refers 
under  the  head  of  missions,  only  two  of  the 
works  being  in  our  language.'  Nor  is  it 
ever  safe  to  assume  of  any  congregation  or 
any  individual  that  all  desirable  information 
is  possessed,  and  that  persistent  painstaking 
is  not  needed.  Think  of  present  facilities 
for  acquisition  and  communication  compared 
w4th  former  times ;  think  of  the  great  en- 
couragements reported  on  mission  fields  all 
over  the  world;  and  then  call  to  mind  how 
little  comparatively  it  took  a  century  and  a 
quarter  ago  to  animate  President  Edwards. 
He  wrote  to  a  friend  in  Scotland  (1748) 
about  encouraging  news  received  from 
abroad :  "  The  good  disposition  of  the  King 
and  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales ;  the 


*  Encyklopadie  der  Theologie.    Leipzig,    1880.     Translated  by 
John  Macpherson.     Edinburgh,  1885.     ii,  259,  260. 


2  28       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

late  awakening  of  the  two  Princesses,  Ame- 
lia and  Caroline,  and  the  hopeful  conversion 
of  one  or  both  of  them;  the  hopeful,  real 
piety  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and 
his  good  disposition  towards  experimental 
religion  and  the  dissenters  ;  several  of  the 
clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  lately  ap- 
pearing to  preach  the  doctrines  of  grace," 
etc.  "  These  things  (at  least  some  of  them) 
are  great  in  themselves,  and  are  of  that 
nature  that  they  have  a  most  promising 
aspect  on  the  interests  of  Zion,  and  appear 
to  be  happy  presages  and  forerunners  of  yet 
greater  and  better  things  that  are  coming." 
Now  the  chief  embarrassment  arises  from 
the  wealth  of  facts  showing  the  progress  of 
the  Messianic  kincrdom. 

System  is  needful.  And  first  of  all  in  a 
regular,  comprehensive  presentation  to  be 
carried  on  for  years,  a  geographical  basis 
must  be  made.  The  boundaries,  size,  and 
physical  features  of  each  mission  field  should 
be  presented.  Then  comes  an  ethnographi- 
cal portraiture  —  the  people,  their  race,  his- 


LECT.vi.]  METHODS    OF    CONDUCTING.  229 

tory,  social  rank,  characteristic  occupations 
and  habits ;  their  morals ;  their  religious 
beliefs  and  customs;  evangelistic  labors 
among  them  hitherto;  the  results  and  the 
prospects.  Much  of  patience  and  repetition 
will  come  in  play.  Too  much  should  not  be 
attempted  in  any  one  meeting ;  and  a  dis- 
proportionate amount  of  secular  information 
must  be  avoided  at  every  meeting. 

One  way  of  securing  good  results  is  to 
enlist  a  people  in  missionary  self-education. 
Home  talent  should  be  called  out.  The 
more  who  take  part  in  the  course  of  the  year 
the  better.  Young  men  and  old  men  may 
be  drawn  into  active  cooperation.  Young 
ladies  and  older  ladies  may  contribute  papers. 
Ten  minutes  is  as  long  a  time  as  such  con- 
tributions should  occupy.  Several  three- 
minute  reports  are  better  than  a  single  long 
one,  other  things  equal ;  but  always  on  a 
plan,  shunning  a  mere  promiscuous  retail 
like  the  column  of  newspaper  miscellanies. 
Seldom  should  there  be  much  if  any  reading 
from  a  missionary  periodical.     That  is  pre- 


2  30      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,   [lect.  vr 

sumed  to  be  in  the  hands  of  all,  and  what- 
ever is  drawn  from  such  sources  had  better 
be  given  from  memory. 

Variety  must  be  consulted.  It  is  too 
much  to  say  that  no  two  meetings  in  succes- 
sion should  be  exactly  alike.  It  may,  how- 
ever, be  suitably  said  that  not  many  succes- 
sive concerts  had  better  have  precisely  the 
same  type.  Only  declining  interest  can  be 
expected  from  humdrum  uniformity.  Never 
allow  the  meeting  to  fall  into  ruts  so  deep 
that  it  will  be  difficult  to  get  out  of  them. 
Cause  and  effect  sometimes  change  places. 
Interest  in  missions  will  make  an  interesting 
concert ;  and  an  interesting  concert  will 
create  an  interest  in  missions.  True,  there 
are  few  brotherhoods,  like  the  first  church 
in  Oberlin,  Ohio,  from  which  a  score  of 
members  have  gone  to  the  foreign  work  in 
the  course  of  a  few  years,  and  in  which  there 
will  naturally  be  a  deep  interest,  when  the 
evening  comes  round,  for  intercession ;  but 
occasionally  an  officer  of  a  missionary  society, 
or  a  returned  missionary,  or  a  missionary's 


i^cT.vi.]  METHODS    OF    CONDUCTING.  23 1 

son,  or  a  Christian  traveler  may  be  present. 
Now  a  mission  circle  may  have  an  exercise, 
and  now  a  Sabbath-school  class.  A  short 
dialogue  will  sometimes  be  in  place ;  and  for 
preparing  such,  cultivated  ladies  often  have 
peculiar  tact.  Once  a  year  at  least  the 
Sunday-school  as  a  whole  should  occupy  the 
time  chiefly.  At  considerable  intervals 
questions  previously  given  out  to  individuals 
may  be  asked  by  the  pastor.  With  average 
fertility  of  invention  he  will  have  no  great 
difficulty  in  securing  such  desirable  varia- 
tions as  shall  keep  expectation  on  the  alert. 
Any  uniform  routine  for  a  long  time  is  liable 
to  cloy.  Hence  let  no  method  become  ste- 
reotyped. 

Wall  maps  are  an  indispensable  auxiliary. 
The  late  Rev.  Albert  Barnes  once  carried 
on  a  course  of  missionary  lectures  through 
several  years.  He  began  without  using 
maps,  but  soon  became  convinced  of  their 
necessity.  They  are  not  less  indispensable 
in  the  department  of  missionary  education 
than  in  primary  or   high  school   education. 


232       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

No  congregation  is  so  well  informed  con- 
cerning the  geography  of  evangelization  as 
not  to  be  greatly  aided  by  the  eye  as  well 
as  by  the  ear.  The  more  illiterate  the  audi- 
ence the  greater  the  need.  Felix  Neff,  that 
model  pastor  in  the  High  Alps,  with  a  view 
to  interest  his  rude  mountaineers  in  the 
monthly  concert,  taught  them  geography. 
Learning  the  extent  of  the  world  and  its 
moral  desolations,  their  zeal  in  the  cause 
was  kindled.  This  will  make  a  valuable 
variety  in  the  religious  curriculum  of  any 
congregation.  It  is  now  easy  to  procure 
mural  charts  and  outline  delineations  more 
or  less  filled  in  with  required  details,  especi- 
ally for  mission  fields  of  the  American  Board, 
and  that  too  at  a  small  cost.  Cartography 
is  at  the  present  time  so  universally  a  branch 
of  education  in  our  public  schools,  that  it 
will  not  be  difficult  to  obtain  from  home 
production  all  which  is  needful.  Young 
men  and  young  ladies  may  be  enlisted  with 
great  advantage  to  themselves,  whether  these 
home  manufactures  are  only  for  temporary 


LECT.  VI.]  METHODS    OF    CONDUCTING.  233 

use  or  are  of  more  permanent  value.  On 
some  occasions  the  blackboard  may  be  put 
in  requisition.  At  intervals  mere  lads 
might  be  brought  forward  to  use  the  indica- 
tor a  few  minutes. 

Other  things  equal,  that  pastor  will  be 
most  successful  in  this  line  of  endeavor  who 
is  himself  the  best  student  of  geography. 
The  first  Napoleon  in  grading  his  generals 
used  to  make  this  commendatory  memoran- 
dum against  certain  names :  "  Well  ac- 
quainted with  maps."  Skillfully  done,  it  is 
always  one  of  the  most  enlivening  and  grat- 
ifying variations  in  a  concert,  when  brief 
outlines  with  required  topographical  details 
are  presented  to  the  eye  of  a  spectator. 
Such  maps  are  a  protest  against  narrowness. 
The  late  Dr.  Henry  B.  Hooker,  Secretary 
of  the  Massachusetts  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety, was,  while  pastor  in  a  country  town, 
always  successful  at  this  meeting.  "  I  love," 
he  said,  "  to  stand  before  a  map  of  a  nation, 
especially  a  map  of  the  world,  and  pointing 
the    audience    to    it    say,    *  There   are   the 


2  34      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi 

regions,  the  continents,  the  islands  of  a 
fallen  world.  Our  Redeemer  is  their  right- 
ful possessor,  though  the  present  ruler  is  the 
prince  of  darkness.  We  are  wresting  them 
from  Satan  by  our  missionary  triumphs.'" 
Dr.  Hooker  describes  his  method  of  pre- 
paring maps  for  the  concert.  "  A  feather 
dipped  in  black  ink,  and,  as  occasion  re- 
quires, in  red,  was  my  dignified  instrument 
in  drawing  the  outline.  Rivers,  mountains, 
and  other  prominent  objects  were  sketched 
with  a  feather  dipped  in  ink."  It  is  possible 
that,  in  a  rural  parish,  where  none  of  the 
special  accessories  can  be  had,  such  as  I 
have  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  Park 
Street  concert,  a  meeting  of  this  kind  may 
be  maintained  with  relatively  greater  suc- 
cess.' The  Rev.  Daniel  Crosby,  when  he 
began  his  ministry  in  a  retired  hill  town  of 
Massachusetts,  found  that  the  concert  was 
completely  prostrate.  He  prepared  himself 
with  care,  and  at  the  close  of  the  Sabbath 

^  Appendix,  note  49. 


I.ECT.VI.]  METHODS    OF    CONDUCTING.  235 

service  preceding  the  first  Monday  of  a 
month,  announced  his  subject.  The  result 
he  thus  describes  : '  "  We  had  our  meeting 
in  the  upper  story  of  the  school-house,  which 
was  the  largest  room  we  could  command, 
out  of  the  meeting-house.  I  went  early  that 
I  might  get  my  maps  in  order.  The  people 
poured  in,  and  soon  the  room  was  filled. 
The  experiment  was  triumphantly  success- 
ful. Everybody  was  interested.  Almost 
twelve  years  have  elapsed,  and  yet  I  can 
recall  the  sensations  with  which  I  sat  down 
by  my  study  fire  in  the  evening  after  the 
meeting.  Henceforth  our  monthly  concerts 
were  our  most  numerously  attended  evening 
meetings.  We  often  had  to  bring  in  extra 
seats.  And  what  is  the  most  pleasing  of  all, 
in  one  instance  certainly,  if  not  more,  the 
first  indications  of  a  powerful  revival  of 
religion  were  discovered  in  the  monthly 
concert." 


Missionary  Herald.    Vol.  xxxv,  page  122.     1839. 


236      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,    [lect.  vi. 


OTHER   FORMS    OF   CONCERT. 

We  would  not  forget  that  there  have  been 
and  are  other  periodical  occasions  of  con- 
certed prayer.  For  some  years  there  was 
maintained  —  what  still  survives  here  and 
there  —  an  annual  concert  of  prayer  for  the 
world.  In  the  winter  of  1832  a  circular 
from  Lausanne,  Switzerland,  was  received  in 
this  country  inviting  all  churches  to  observe 
the  last  Monday  of  the  year  as  a  day  of  fast- 
ing and  prayer  for  the  outpouring  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  upon  the  whole  world.  At  the 
meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Philadelphia  the 
next  spring  (1833),  the  subject  was  brought 
before  that  body  by  the  delegate  from  the 
General  Association  of  Massachusetts.'  A 
resolution  recommending  the  proposed  ob- 
servance was  unanimously  adopted  and  it 
met  with  general  favor.  Coincident  seasons 
of  refreshing  from  on  high  in  foreign  lands, 

*  Probably  Dr.  John  Codman. 


LECT.vi.]    OTHER  FORMS  OF  CONCERT.       237 

as  well  as  revivals  in  our  own  land,  were 
afterwards  recorded.  Three  years  later 
(1836)  an  appeal  in  behalf  of  this  annual 
concert  went  from  our  country  to  Great 
Britain,  which  met  with  a  hearty  response. 
Circulars  inviting  union  in  prayer  on  the 
day  named — the  first  Monday  of  each  year 
—  were  issued  for  several  years,  and  in  one 
instance  a  gentleman  had  ten  thousand  of 
them  printed  and  circulated. 

One  important  recommendation  of  the 
Evangelical  Alliance,  organized  in  London, 
1846,  was  the  yearly  observance  of  a  Week 
of  Prayer  throughout  the  world.  Foreign 
missions  is  among  the  objects  then  specified, 
and  which  has  since  been  named  annually 
in  the  printed  circulars  enumerating  topics 
of  supplication.  It  was  the  measure  thus 
proposed  which  probably  suggested  to  the 
Presbyterian  mission  at  Lodiana,  India,  an 
invitation  addressed  by  them  in  1858  to  the 
Church  of  Christ  throughout  the  world,  to 
observe  the  first  week  in  January  "  as  a  time 
of  special  prayer  that  God  would  now  pour 


238       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

out  his  Spirit  upon  all  flesh,  so  that  all  the 
ends  of  the  earth  might  see  his  salvation; 
that  on  the  first  day  —  that  is,  on  Monday, 
the  8th  —  be  a  holy  convocation  for  solemn 
fasting,  humiliation,  and  prayer,  and  that  on 
the  last  day  —  that  is  Sabbath,  the  14th  — 
be  a  holy  convocation  for  thanksgiving  and 
praise;  that  the  intervening  time  be  spent 
in  private  and  social  exercise  of  prayer  and 
praise,  as  the  circumstances  of  each  com- 
munity may  dictate ;  that  all  God's  people, 
of  every  name  and  nation,  of  every  continent 
and  island,  be  cordially  and  earnestly  invited 
to  unite  with  us  in  a  similar  observance  of 
that  time;  and  that  from  the  receipt  of  this 
invitation  onward  all  be  requested,  in  their 
secret,  family,  and  public  devotions,  habitu- 
ally to  entreat  the  Lord  to  pour  out  upon 
all  his  people  so  much  of  the  Spirit  of  grace 
and  supplication  as  to  prepare  them  for 
such  an  observance  of  the  time  designated 
as  may  meet  with  his  approval  and  secure 
his  blessing."  This  movement  absorbed  the 
one-day  concert  which  had  preceded. 


LECT.  VI.]  OTHER    FORMS    OF    CONCERT.  239 

The  Day  of  Intercession  as  observed  in 
England  is  another  specialty  of  prayer  de- 
serving notice.  The  year  1871  being  a  year 
of  more  than  usual  depression,  in  view  of 
missions  conducted  by  English  Episcopali- 
ans, a  member  of  the  Establishment  was 
moved  to  say,  "  Let  us  agree  upon  a  day  of 
intercessory  prayer  to  the  Lord  of  the  har- 
vest of  souls."  Gradually  a  plan  was  formed 
for  securing  the  cooperation  of  the  whole 
Anglican  Communion  on  a  stated  day. 
Friday,  the  20th  of  December,  1872,  was 
widely  observed  in  the  way  proposed,  nor 
was  the  observance  restricted  to  the  Church 
of  England  at  home  and  among  her  depen- 
dencies. In  1875,  St.  Andrew's  Day  and 
the  week  following  were  recommended  as  a 
convenient  time  for  missionary  intercession. 
Happy  results,  which  must  be  accounted 
answers  to  prayer  thus  offered,  have  been 
noticed  from  time  to  time.' 


^  Authorized  Report  of  the  Second  Missionary  Conference  held 
at  Oxford,  1877.     Pages  180-197. 


240      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vi. 

In  1886  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
instituted  a  "  Cycle  of  Prayer "  and  issued 
a  detailed  program.  At  the  present  time 
over  thirteen  thousand  members  are  enrolled. 
They  are  of  all  classes,  young  and  old,  male 
and  female,  rich  and  poor,  at  home  and 
abroad  —  there  being  associations  as  far  off 
as  Queensland  and  Tasmania. 

It  is  an  encouraging  sign  of  the  times 
that  prayer  unions  more  or  less  limited,  but 
with  a  more  specific  aim,  have  been  formed. 
That  among  Moravians  will  be  noted  in  the 
next  lecture.  Another,  which  originated  in 
London,  1880,  is  entitled  "Women's  Prayer 
Union  to  seek  blessings  upon  the  two  hun- 
dred millions  of  heathen  women  in  China " 
—  the  chief  object  being  to  remember  the 
women  of  that  land  and  those  working 
among  them,  in  prayer  every  day.  Friends 
of  the  late  Bishop  Parker  at  Cambridge, 
England,  have  started  an  "  Africa  Prayer 
Union."  Membership  requires  that  each 
pray  definitely  on  one  day  in  the  week  for 
the    spread    of   the   gospel    in  Africa,  read 


LHCT.vi.]   EXTRA-DENOMINATIONAL  INTEREST.     24 1 

regularly  about  one  or  more  of  the  African 
mission  fields,  and  correspond  with  some 
African  missionary. 

EXTRA-DENOMINATIONAL   INTEREST. 

The  suggestions  thus  far  made  have  chief 
respect  to  the  foreign  missionary  work  of 
one's  own  denomination.  The  greater  in- 
terest and  endeavor  will  of  course  center 
there.  With  that  the  young  and  the  old 
need  first  to  become  familiar.  But  no 
church  can  afford  to  practice  the  narrow- 
ness of  wholly  restricting  thought  to  its 
own  field  of  special  responsibility.  Such 
narrowness  is  at  the  present  time  a  grow- 
ing anachronism.  Increased  inter-denom- 
inational union  of  heart  and  effort  is  one 
of  the  features  of  our  age.  An  exponent  of 
this  should,  to  some  extent,  be  found  in  the 
monthly  concert.  Happily  periodicals  spe- 
cially devoted  to  this  department  of  Chris- 
tian endeavor  have  begun  to  reflect  in  some 
measure  the  broadening  spirit   of   the  day, 


242       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vl 

although  there  are  those  which  keep  the  eye 
uniformly  and  complacently  upon  their  own 
sphere  alone,  forgetful  that  there  are  now 
not  less  than  a  hundred  missionary  societies 
in  existence.  Readers,  not  otherwise  in- 
formed, would  never  dream  but  what  all 
other  branches  of  the  church  were  charge- 
able with  entire  inactivity.  It  is  compara- 
tively pardonable  for  the  Chinese  to  pro- 
nounce nations  which  are  not  within  the 
Celestial  Empire  "  outside  barbarians  ;  "  and 
for  Eskimos  to  deem  the  Arctic  regions  all 
the  world  that  it  is  worth  while  to  know 
anything  about.  But  a  wise,  enterprising 
pastor  will  now  and  then  introduce  con- 
densed sketches  of  other  operations  besides 
those  of  his  own  denominational  board. 
The  effect  cannot  be  otherwise  than  happy 
in  cherishing  the  sentiment  of  Christian 
brotherhood  toward  all  who  are  fellow-work- 
ers unto  the  kingdom  of  God. 


LECTURE  VII. 

MISSIONARY    CONCERTS 
OF   PRAYER. 

(CONTINUED.) 


MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER. 

(CONTINUED.) 

When  did  the  Christian  era  begin  ?  At 
the  moment  of  Christ's  coronation  in  that 
world  whither  he  returned  ~  his  humiliation 
ended,  his  atoning  work  sealed,  and  his 
Messianic  reign  inaugurated.  Not  till  then 
properly  did  the  old  economy  close.  How 
does  the  new  dispensation  begin  ?  What 
is  the  initial  feature  which  introduces  and 
may  well  characterize  the  whole  period  of  the 
last  times  ?  It  is  prayer.  Though  commis- 
sioned to  preach,  though  having  before 
them  an  evangelistic  field  for  which  the 
whole  of  life  is  too  limited,  the  apostles  do 
not  at  once  set  about  preaching.  Nor  do 
they  at  once  take  up  the  pen,  deeming  that 
the  mightiest  instrument.  Nor  do  they  call 
a  convention  of  delegates  from  Judea,  Gali- 

(245) 


246       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vn. 

lee,  and  the  region  beyond  Jordan,  to  dis- 
cuss ways  and  means  of  obeying  the  Master's 
last  command.  They  assemble  quietly  for 
prayer. 

PRIMITIVE    CONCERT    OF    PRAYER. 

The  Christian  era  began  with  a  concert 
of  prayer  —  an  eight-days  prayer  meeting. 
Our  Lord's  personal  retirement  from  earth 
made  way  for  his  substitute  to  come.  The 
greatest  need  then  and  now,  and  to  the  end 
of  time,  is  the  special  presence  and  mighty 
working  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  No  effective 
religious  power  is  possessed  by  apostle  or 
layman  till  the  soul  comes  devoutly  into 
fellowship  with  our  risen  Redeemer.  Then, 
then  only  is  there  preparation  for  outward 
activities.  On  the  eve  of  his  ascension  the 
Master  himself  bade  the  disciples  wait.  He 
does  not  specifically  name  a  prayer  meeting. 
How  can  they  think  of  occupying  them- 
selves except  in  prayer  ?  They  know  their 
need  of  being  endued  with  power  from  on 
high ;   they  know   what   promise    has    been 


i^cT.vii.]     PRIMITIVE  CONCERT  OF  PRAYER.  247 

given ;  they  know  the  way  to  secure  its  ful- 
fillment. In  an  upper  room — not  improb- 
ably the  very  one  where  forty  days  before 
they  sat  at  the  sacramental  table  with  their 
Lord,  and  whence  he  led  them  out  over 
Kedron  —  the  eleven  meet.  Thomas  is 
there.  The  brethren  of  Jesus  who  at  first 
did  not  believe  on  him.  are  there.  Women 
are  there.  The  last  mention  made  of  Mary, 
the  mother  of  Jesus,  is  her  presence  at  the 
first  Christian  concert  of  prayer. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  leading 
theme  of  supplication  at  that  prolonged 
assemblage  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
devout  souls  was  the  promise  of  the  Father, 
which  they  had  heard,  and  Christ's  promise 
that  they  should  be  baptized  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  not  many  days  hence.  How  must 
the  united  cry  have  gone  up  time  and  again; 
Lord,  grant  us  thy  great  gift !  Let  thy 
pledge  be  made  good !  May  the  predicted 
effusion  now  take  place !  Come,  O  Com- 
forter, come !  The  fact  that,  centuries  be- 
fore, prophecy  had  announced  this  crowning 


248      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vii. 

gift  did  not  diminish  the  need  of  asking  for 
it.  That  was  no  absolute  blessing  which 
would  come,  sought  or  unsought. 

PRESENT    NEED. 

The  same  want  and  earnest  seeking  are 
today  the  chief  thing  needed  by  every  min- 
ister and  missionary,  every  church  and 
society  under  heaven.  There  may  be  a 
crowded  attendance  at  the  monthly  gather- 
ing ;  great  gratification  may  be  experienced 
in  the  singing  —  sometimes  arranged  a  little 
too  dramatically;  much  interest  may  be 
awakened  by  the  graphic  presentation  of 
facts  secular  and  religious ;  and  yet  little 
prayer  be  offered  at  the  time,  and  little 
called  forth  afterwards.  I  have  attended 
concerts  of  prayer,  so  called,  at  which  only 
one  prayer  was  offered.  Could  there  be  a 
more  humiliating  misnomer  ?  The  difficulty 
of  enlisting  laymen  actively  in  this  part  of 
the  service  has  sometimes  led  pastors  to 
occupy  the  time  with  a  lecture;  and  people 
may  be  only  too  ready  to  listen  to  a  speaker 


LBcr.vii.]  PRESENT    NEED.  249 

and  even  to  contribute  money,  instead  of 
uniting  duly  in  supplication  and  thanks- 
giving. Embarrassment  from  that  source  at 
the  present  time  is  by  no  means  what  it  was 
at  the  opening  of  this  century.  The  weekly 
church  prayer  meeting  was  then  hardly 
known,  and  when  special  private  gatherings 
for  Christian  improvement  or  other  religious 
purposes  were  held  by  Congregationalists,  it 
was  not  generally  deemed  appropriate  for 
unordained  brethren  to  lead  in  social  prayer. 
Those  members  of  the  Old  South  Church, 
Boston,  who  established  the  Park  Street 
Church,  did  not  deem  it  just  the  thing  for 
one  of  their  own  number  to  offer  prayer 
even  before  such  a  limited  circle,  and  there- 
fore sent  for  their  pastor,  Dr.  Eckley,  or  else 
omitted  it  altogether.'  But  information  is 
not  all.  Facts  are  only  fuel,  not  the  fire. 
The  basis  of  the  missionary  concert,  as  of 
every  such  union,  lies  in  the  power  of  the 
divinely  appointed  social    principle,  and,  as 

*  Congregational  Quarterly,  i860.    Page  368.    Appendix,  note  50. 


250       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vn. 

we  have  seen,  it  is  an  ordinance  of  God  that 
combined  prayer  should  have  special  effi- 
cacy. Of  all  gatherings  this  should  be  the 
focus  of  concentrated  devotional  energy. 
Let  nothing  then  displace  prayer,  but  every- 
thing serve  to  stimulate  faith  and  hope 
before  the  mercy  seat.  In  this  respect  it 
should  be  a  people's  meeting,  the  element  of 
sympathy  being  called  into  exercise,  so  that 
the  subject  may  come  to  have  a  larger  place 
in  the  habitual  life  of  every  believer.  There 
should  be  an  expectation  that  the  concert 
will  prove  a  rich  means  of  grace,  and  a  con- 
viction that  it  is  more  than  consistent  with 
a  local  revival.  For  its  highest  type,  every 
season  of  quickened  spiritual  life  requires 
the  presence  of  world-wide  claims.  Con- 
verts when  born  into  the  kingdom  should  at 
the  outset  learn  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  reason  why  God  bestows  special  grace 
upon  them.  Believers,  young  and  old,  re- 
ceive most  benefit  themselves  when  seeking 
most  the  good  of  others. 


LKCT.  VII.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.     2  5  I 

APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER. 
I.  — Humiliatmi. 
Calling  to  mind  the  condition  of  the 
heathen  world,  the  ample  religious  heritage 
enjoyed  by  us,  the  design  of  our  Heavenly 
Father  in  giving  us  this  stewardship,  the 
imperative  words  of  our  ascended  Lord,  the 
little  done  as  yet  toward  discipling  all  na- 
tions, what  can  be  more  fitting  than  that 
confession  should  have  place  at  the  concert 
—  deep  contrition  for  indifference  and  in- 
activity in  the  past ;  for  guilty  ignorance  of 
the  wants  and  woes  of  a  perishing  world  ; 
for  the  misapplication  if  not  squandering  of 
substance ;  for  the  withholding  of  children 
from  the  service,  and  withholding  supplica- 
tion at  the  throne  of  grace?  No  wonder  if 
here  and  there  a  penitent  child  of  God 
should  cry  out.  Can  it  be  that  my  name  is 
written  in  heaven  ?  Can  it  be  that  after 
my  sinful  failures  in  duty  to  the  perishing 
my  name  should  continue  recorded  there  ? 
The  wonder  is  not  that  the  heathen  should 


252       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vn, 

be  lost,  but  that  unfaithful  Christians  can  be 
saved.  Well  may  the  petition  go  up :  For- 
give us  for  the  narrowness  of  our  desires; 
foro^ive  us  the  selfishness  of  our  interces- 
sions  ;  forgive  us  that  our  feet  have  gone 
forth  in  no  wider  range  and  our  hearts 
with  no  more  of  importunity  !  Did  the  man 
greatly  beloved  humble  himself  in  Elam  too 
long  or  too  deeply  ?  In  those  days  I  Daniel 
was  mourning  three  full  weeks. 

2. — Persevering  Earnestness. 

Rome  was  not  built  in  a  day;  Messiah's 
kingdom  is  not  built  up  in  a  day;  nor  is  a 
nation  to  be  born  in  a  day  —  as  a  prophetic 
promise  is  so  often  mistakenly  quoted  in 
prayer.'  Delay  did  not  discourage  the  early 
disciples  in  their  first  long  prayer  meeting. 
Delay  is  not  denial.  The  answer  tarried, 
not  because  their  Master  had  forgotten  or 
was  otherwise  occupied  ;  not  because  thou- 
sands of  Gentiles  and  Jews  were  not  dying 
daily;  but  because  the  fullness  of  the  time 


Isa.  Ixvi :  8.     "  Shall  a  nation  be  born  at  once  ?  " 


LBCT.vii]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    253 

had  not  come ;  because  faith  and  humble 
dependence  needed  discipline.  For  over  a 
week  they  continued  with  one  accord  in 
prayer  and  supplication.  The  meeting, 
however,  availed  at  length,  not  because 
it  was  a  long  one,  but  because  united, 
believing,  persevering  entreaties  followed 
their  Lord  to  his  throne  on  high.  We  can- 
not conceive  of  them  as  listless,  languid,  or 
wavering.  Their  hearts  were  set  upon  a 
fulfillment  of  the  great  promise.  Prayer 
also  shall  be  made  for  him  continually.  His 
advent  by  his  Spirit  in  the  spread  of  his 
kingdom,  subduing  hearts  and  taking  fuller 
possession  of  hearts  already  loyal,  is  a 
process  it  would  seem  for  ages,  and  for 
which  a  more  than  millennial  concert  of 
supplication  is  required.  The  church  on 
earth  needs  to  be  trained  to  a  patience  of 
hope  commensurate  with  the  vastness  of 
Christ's  gracious  dispensation,  and  to  an 
earnestness  like  our  Lord's  in  his  yearning 
over  Jerusalem.  Only  let  the  people  of  God 
learn  thoroughly    what    the    church   is  for; 


254      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vn. 

that  it  is  a  sacramental  host,  organized  for 
the  highest  object  and  for  all  time ;  that  to 
give  the  gospel  to  mankind  universally  is  no 
side  matter,  no  incidental  affair,  but  the 
most  urgent  duty  year  by  year ;  and  having 
come  thus  to  its  true  place  in  the  heart,  it 
will  lead  to  intercession  direct,  importunate, 
persistent.  A  word  of  caution  touching 
sincerity  may  be  appropriate  now  and  then. 
Honest  prayer  is  the  only  prevailing  prayer. 
The  inconsistency  of  asking  great  things, 
while  doing  nothing,  is  a  grievous  offense 
to  him  who  searcheth  the  heart.  Most  sad 
it  is  to  contemplate  the  seeming  hypocrisy 
that  sometimes  exists,  the  want  of  harmony 
between  addresses  to  the  throne  of  grace 
and  the  pittances  that  are  doled  out.  If 
ye  offer  the  lame  and  sick,  is  it  not  evil  ? 
Offer  it  now  unto  thy  Governor,  will  he  be 
pleased  with  thee,  or  accept  thy  person.? 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Archdeacon  Hare 
relates  that  he  saw  the  Pope  apparently 
kneeling  in  prayer  for  mankind;  but  he  was 
sitting  all  the  while  comfortably  in  his  chair. 


LECT.  VII.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    255 

Very  ingenuous,  comparatively,  was  that 
Hindu  who  inquired  how  he  should  pray; 
and  whom  Carey  asked  in  turn  what  he 
would  do  if  he  took  a  petition  to  the  Gov- 
ernor for  pardon.  The  man  said  he  should 
look  very  sorrowful,  and  tell  a  great  many 
lies  to  excuse  himself;  and  so  too  if  he 
were  going  to  God  ! 

J. — Particularity  of  Petition. 

Generality  and  vagueness  are  too  often 
the  bane  of  prayer.  "  Prayers  which  do  not 
detain  the  thoughts  on  any  certain  things 
in  particular,"  says  John  Foster,  "  take  very 
slight  hold  of  the  auditors."  They  show 
also  that  subjects  of  petition  take  but  slight 
hold  of  the  suppliant.  Our  congregations 
need  to  be  trained  to  contemplate  specific 
objects  of  intercession  —  as  native  converts, 
feeble,  ignorant,  persecuted,  tempted;  cate- 
chumens, requiring  much  of  skill  and  pa- 
tience in  leading  them  on  to  an  intelligent, 
vigorous  piety ;  native  churches,  only  dim 
lights    at  first    in    the    midst  of   gross  dark- 


256       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vii. 

ness ;  native  pastors,  but  partially  qualified 
for  the  guidance  and  edification  of  infant 
Christian  bands  ;  surrounding  heathen  com- 
munities, superstitious,  suspicious,  hostile. 
Of  missionaries  and  their  needs  something 
is  more  generally  known  and  comes  more 
promptly  to  mind.  But  those  things  most 
frequently  dwelt  upon,  their  self-denial  in 
leaving  friends  and  native  land,  their  perils 
and  the  like,  are  not  the  things  regarding 
which  they  most  frequently  desire  the  de- 
votional remembrance  of  friends,  such  as 
effective  access  to  the  hearts  of  the  be- 
nighted, wisdom  in  the  multitude  of  per- 
plexing circumstances  which  they  encounter. 
Missionary  children,  too,  are  entitled  to  a 
distinct  and  frequent  remembrance,  whether 
in  the  temporary  orphanage  of  separation 
from  parents,  or  remaining  with  them 
amidst  most  trying  exposures. 

Not  only  is  the  concert  of  prayer  held  in 
all  the  Moravian  provinces,  but  by  a  volun- 
tary movement  in  1872  a  Prayer  Union  was 
established  among  English  Moravians  which 


LHCT.  VII.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    257 

now  embraces  some  belonging  to  other  na- 
tionalities. The  members  engage  in  unison 
through  the  week  upon  topics  of  daily  in- 
tercession. For  each  Monday  the  subject 
is  "  Christian  Missionaries,"  and  prayer  is 
offered,  as  may  be  seen  in  a  manual  issued 
by  the  Union.'  A  few  extracts  will  show 
what  the  habit  and  spirit  of  the  denomina- 
tion are  :  "  Prosper  the  endeavors  of  all  thy 
servants  to  spread  thy  gospel  among  all 
nations.  Make  them  wise  to  win  souls ; 
fill  them  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with 
faith  ;  and  let  them  even  here  have  a  rich 
reward  in  souls  saved  and  sanctified  in  thy 
name,  who  shall  be  their  joy  and  crown  of 
rejoicing  at  thy  coming."  "  In  thy  tender 
mercy  watch  over  all  thy  servants  who  may 
be  traveling  by  land  or  sea.  Let  thy  gra- 
cious word,  that  thou  art  ever  with  them, 
be  this  day  their  comfort  and  support.  Be 
very  near  to  those  who  are  in  danger  or 
in  loneliness    in    thy  service."     "  Keep    the 

*  Daily   Prayers  for  Moravian  Households.    32  Fetter  Lane, 
London.     Pages  6,  7,  77,  79. 


258       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vn. 

children  of  our  missionaries  under  thy 
special  charge,  as  thy  servants'  treasures 
committed  to  thy  care.  Whilst  far  from 
their  parent's  eye,  may  the  little  ones  be 
tended  and  taught  by  true  Christian  love 
for  thy  sake." 

When  individual  laborers  in  the  foreign 
field  have  been  brought  to  special  notice,  it 
is  not  amiss  to  remember  them  by  name. 
The  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  urged: 
Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  by  the  love  of  the  Spirit, 
that  ye  strive  together  with  me  in  your 
prayers  to  God  for  me  —  for  me.  Can  it  be 
supposed  that  after  such  an  appeal  to  his 
Christian  friends  at  Rome,  they  would  offer 
supplication  in  a  periphrastic  fashion :  For 
our  venerable,  devoted,  beloved,  and  well- 
known  friend  thy  servant,  who  has  requested 
us  to  unite  with  him  in  addresses  to  Heaven. f* 
or  would  they  pray  for  our  beloved  brother 
Paul.f^  Sir  John  Patteson  had  been  in  the 
habit  at  family  worship,  when  he  read  the 
prayer  for  missionaries,  of  mentioning  "  the 


LECT.vii.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.     259 

absent  member  of  this  family,"  but  at  last  he 
prayed  in  a  clear  tone,  "  Especially  for  John 
Coleridge  Patteson,  missionary  bishop."  '  In 
the  freedom  of  social  meetings  it  is  no 
breach  of  devotional  propriety  to  mention 
the  name  of  a  particular  laborer,  or  land, 
or  locality.  Too  much  of  the  round-about 
chills  devotion.  Those  for  whom  we  are 
the  mouth-piece  leave  us  behind  while  we 
linger  in  a  needless  circumlocution.  Well 
would  it  be  if  more  suppliants  should  pray 
in  full  health  and  strength  as  did  the  ear- 
nest Wesleyan,  John  Hunt,  on  his  death-bed: 
"  Oh,  let  me  pray  once  more  for  Fiji !  Lord, 
for  Christ's  sake,  bless  Fiji!  Save  Fiji! 
Save  thy  servants ;  save  thy  people ;  save 
the  heathen  in  Fiji ! "  ^  From  converted 
islanders  of  the  Pacific  we  have  something 
to  learn.  In  their  simplicity  and  warmth 
they  do  not  hesitate  to  name  individuals 
in  their  devotional  exercises  at  social  meet- 


^  Charlotte  M.   Yonge.     Life  of  J.  C.  Patteson.     London,  1875. 

i.  337. 

^  AppendLx,  note  51. 


26o      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vii. 

ings.  The  thought  of  foreign  evangelistic 
labor  has  acquired  such  a  place  among 
Hawaiian  Christians  that  they  seldom  offer 
prayer  without  at  least  one  petition  for  their 
brethren  who  have  gone  as  missionaries  to 
Micronesia  or  to  other  islands. 

The  monthly  concert  fails  in  a  measure  of 
its  appropriate  work  if  it  does  not  lead  to  a 
great  deal  of  such  specific  supplication  hab- 
itually in  private,  for  the  same  objects  as 
are  thus  brought  to  view.  In  the  Moravian 
litany,  to  which  reference  has  been  made, 
intercession  is  suggested:  "For  all  mission- 
ary societies  and  missions  to  both  Jews  and 
heathens ;  for  the  new  work  in  Central 
Africa,  for  India  and  China ;  for  our  own 
foreign  missions  In  particular ;  our  brethren 
and  sisters  stationed  in  heathen  lands ;  that 
more  zeal  and  self-denial  may  be  aroused  at 
home  on  behalf  of  the  mission  cause ;  that 
young  men  with  a  true  missionary  spirit 
may  be  stirred  up  to  offer  themselves  for 
the  Lord's  work ;  and  that  all  may  learn  the 
duty  and  privilege  of  serving  the  Lord  by 


LECT.  vii]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    26 1 

giving.  We  pray  especially  for  our  church's 
work  in  Bohemia,  and  for  an  open  door  for 
gospel  work  in  Moravia."  The  case  is  not  a 
solitary  one  —  by  and  by  it  will  be  frequent 
—  mentioned  by  Dr.  Wheeler,  President  of 
Euphrates  College :  "  An  aged  mother  in 
Israel  said  to  me,"  he  remarks,  speaking  of 
a  New  England  Christian,  " '  Sir,  I  read  the 
Missionary  Herald  through,  and  whenever 
any  special  request  for  prayer  is  made,  I 
write  it  on  my  prayer  list  in  my  closet  to  be 
remembered  daily.'  "  '  Besides  such  stated 
specifications,  emergencies  will  sometimes 
arise,  crises  in  the  history  of  a  home  board 
or  a  mission  abroad,  when  there  will  be,  just 
as  in  the  lifetime  of  a  church  or  community, 
urgent  demand  for  united  prostration  before 
God ;  when  the  pastor  may  suitably  call  a 
meeting  expressly  for  that  particular  occa- 
sion. What  more  fitting  than  that  the 
Scottish  army,  on  the  eve  of  the  battle  of 
Bannockburn,    should    kneel  for  a  few  mo- 

'  Ten  Years  on  the  Euphrates.     Boston,  1868.     Page  311. 


262       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vii. 

ments  in  prayer  such  as  that  momentous 
field  demanded  ?  What  more  reasonable  than 
that  they  should  rise  from  their  knees  to 
assured  victory  ?  '  Critical  junctures  in  the 
cause  of  missions  call  for  instant,  earnest, 
triumphant  supplication,  both  social  and 
private. 

4. — Efilarged  Desires. 

One  arduous  yet  animating  part  of  the 
pastor's  labor  is  to  educate  himself  and  his 
people  up  to  the  magnitude  of  the  work  in 
hand,  the  imperial  grandeur  of  that  conquest 
which  is  to  be  achieved.  Nothing  less  than 
universality  may  be  thought  of  —  a  breadth 
of  Messianic  dominion  which  would  have 
made  the  Roman  eagle's  wings  droop. 
From  sea  to  sea,  from  pole  to  pole,  are  the 
limits:  That  repentance  and  remission  of 
sins  should  be  preached  in  his  name  unto 
all  the  nations ;  for  he  must  reign  till  he 
hath    put   all    his    enemies    under   his   feet. 

'  James   Croil.     The    Missionary    Problem.      Montreal,    1883. 
Pages  211,  212. 


LECT.  VII.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    263 


Jesus  Christ  always  took  In  the  whole 
extent  of  whatever  he  dwelt  upon,  and  his 
words  have  the  widest  significance.  His 
kingdom  includes  two  worlds — yes,  all 
worlds ;  and  he  would  have  his  disciples 
rise  to  the  catholicity  of  his  redemptive 
work,  his  commands,  and  his  presence ;  he 
would  have  their  conceptions  come  into 
line  with  the  Fathers  eternal,  glorious  pur- 
poses. All  nations,  is  the  scale  on  which  he 
proceeds  and  on  which  he  is  waiting  for  his 
people  to  march.  In  teaching  them  how  to 
pray  he  teaches  them  to  put  the  greater 
before  the  less,  the  hallowing  of  God's 
name,  the  coming  of  his  kingdom,  and  the 
doing  of  his  will  universally,  to  be  evermore 
first  in  the  petitioner's  thought ;  nothing 
about  individual  and  temporal  needs  till 
higher,  vaster  things  have  been  asked. 
Petitions  for  daily  bread  and  for  personal 
forgiveness,  put  first,  are  not  acceptable. 
God  is  most  pleased  wdth  that  which  most 
honors  him,  and  that  is  w4iat  he  will  most 
honor.     So    stinted,   so    limited    to  self  are 


264      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vii. 

prayers,  as  often  to  seem  almost  akin  to 
those  of  the  Nusairiyeh  in  Syria,  yAio  pray 
God  to  take  out  of  the  hearts  of  all  others 
than  themselves  what  little  light  of  knowl- 
edge they  may  possess ; '  or,  as  in  blunt 
English,  "  Lord,  bless  me  and  my  wife ;  my 
son  John  and  his  wife;  us  four,  no  more." 
At  this  moment,  after  eighteen  centuries, 
not  one  in  a  hundred  of  the  livinof  race  of 
men  has  heard  of  the  great  salvation.  Is 
Christianity  then  a  failure  .f*  No;  but  many 
a  professed  Christian  is  a  failure.  From 
all  northern  and  central  Asia,  from  millions 
in  central  Africa,  is  wafted  the  cry,  Shame, 
shame !  If  there  had  been  no  failure  in 
prayer,  would  there  have  been,  would  there 
now  be,  a  coming  short  in  effort?  Withhold 
intercession  corresponding  to  the  greatness 
of  God's  grace  and  of  our  obligations,  and 
his  kingdom  will  not  come.  Pray  as  we 
should,  and  not  more  certainly  did  Jericho 


*  J/mr}f  H.  Jessup.     The  Women  of  the  Arabs.     New  York, 
[873.     Page  36. 


LECT.  vn]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    265 

fall    than  every  fortress  of  heathenism  and 
Mohammedanism  will  fall. 

If  the  Son  of  Man  should  come  would  he 
find  faith  on  the  earth  ?  Not  such  as  ought 
to  be.  Faith  that  insures  personal  salva- 
tion, that  accomplishes  a  little  something 
for  others,  there  is,  but  as  yet  only  a  trifle 
of  such  as  is  well  grounded  in  the  great 
verities  of  the  Messianic  kingdom ;  such 
as  is  thoroughly  robust,  taking  a  vigorous 
hold  of  the  greater  promises,  and  which 
removes  mountains.  A  scale  of  narrow- 
ness is  the  prevailing  scale.  The  prophets 
of  failure,  whose  vocation  is  to  show  them« 
selves  sagacious  in  discovering  grounds  of 
hesitancy  and  inaction,  are  more  heeded 
than  the  stalwart  believers  of  earlier  times 
who  staggered  not  at  the  largest  promises 
of  God.  Genuine  faith  builds  on  some- 
thing besides  conjecture  and  probability, 
education  and  civilization.  It  is  staked  on 
the  veracity  of  One  who  cannot  deceive 
nor  be  deceived.  It  ventures  on  God's 
word  simply  and  without  hesitation ;  it  vent 


266       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vn 

ures  for  Christ  promptly  and  without  res- 
ervation. It  puts  the  crown  on  that  head 
where  it  belongs.  Enough  that  the  divine 
record  reads:  And  this  gospel  of  the  king- 
dom shall  be  preached  in  the  whole  world 
for  a  testimony  unto  all  the  nations.  God 
has  put  himself  under  covenant  engage- 
ments ;  and  true  faith  will  not  dream  of 
questioning  his  ability  or  his  faithfulness; 
nor  will  it  cast  about  for  devices  to  help 
him  make  good  his  promises.  The  world 
can  any  day  overcome  opinion ;  faith  alone 
overcomes  the  world.  In  mechanics  we 
know  whether  a  given  obstacle  can  be  re- 
moved, by  knowing  the  power  that  can  be 
brought  to  bear  upon  it.  Is  anything  too 
hard  for  the  Lord  ?  Is  he  less  a  God  who 
can  do  wonders  today,  than  when  he  took 
Israel  through  the  Red  Sea  and  through 
Jordan  dry-shod? 

Now  the  monthly  concert  gives  admirable 
opportunities  for  supplementing  and  apply- 
ing pulpit  instructions  concerning  this 
queen    virtue.       Believers    need    to    be    put 


LBCT.  VII.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    267 

upon  a  mighty  wrestling  with  the  Angel 
of  the  Covenant.  According  to  your  faith 
be  it  unto  you,  is  the  pledge,  and  here  is 
a  palestra  for  the  required  training.  The 
Church's  Fortunate  Islands  are  the  Islands 
of  Test.  Let  the  boats  be  burned  behind 
her  and  she  will  neither  find  nor  wish  for  a 
bridge.  Try  and  Trust  are  the  two  little 
words  which  John  Williams,  the  missionary, 
used  to  say  made  the  greatest  mountains 
of  difficulty  melt.  It  was  not  vaporing 
when  Samuel  J.  Mills,  ambitious  only  for 
the  extension  of  Christ's  kingdom,  wrote  : 
"  Though  you  and  I  are  very  little  beings, 
we  must  not  rest  satisfied  till  we  have  made 
our  influence  extend  to  the  remotest  corner 
of  this  ruined  world."  '  Every  young  min- 
ister and  every  local  church  should  account 
it  a  guilty  shortcoming  if  the  world  is  not 
in  a  more  hopeful  condition  for  the  faith 
which,  month  after  month,  is  reinvigorated 
at  the  concert.     Through  reacting  influence 

*  Memoirs,  page  17. 


268       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vii. 

individual  and  collective  advancement  in 
the  divine  life  may  most  reasonably  be  ex- 
pected/ Those  engaged  aright  in  seeking 
a  blessing  for  others  never  fail  of  an  im- 
mediate reward. 

The  monthly  concert  is  not  simply  an 
opportunity  for  offering  united  petitions, 
but  is  invaluable  as  a  school  of  broad  con- 
ceptions—  a  place  where  the  great  Messianic 
ideas  may  be  cultivated  and  believers  lifted 
out  of  the  narrow  circle  in  which  they  would 
otherwise  move.  Every  community,  every 
nation,  needs  a  captivating  future,  must  see 
great  possibilities  before  them,  if  they  are 
to  kindle  into  enthusiasm  and  not  sink 
down  into  apathy  or  despair.  To  cease  ex- 
pecting or  attempting  what  is  better  and 
greater  marks  the  beginning  of  decline. 
Here  is  an  occasion  most  favorable  for 
setting  forth  facts  of  revelation,  history,  and 
of  present  condition,  that  will  enrich,  en- 
large, and  ennoble  the  soul.     The  sublimest 

'  Appendix,  note  52. 


LECT.vii.]   APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    269 

thought  that  can  be  cherished  is  the  thought 
of  an  organic  unity  of  Providence  from  cre- 
ation onward  to  the  end  of  time  and  into 
the  cycles  of  a  glorious  future,  and  that 
every  saint  in  Christ  Jesus  has  a  large 
responsibility  for  the  progress  of  that  divine 
unfolding ;  well  mastered,  that  idea  will 
lead  to  a  scale  of  large-hearted  praying, 
giving,  and  doing,  seldom  witnessed  as  yet. 
By  a  well-directed  concert  education  the 
humblest  individual  may  become  cosmo- 
politan in  character,  may  be  invested  with 
a  commanding  catholicity,  attaining  to  the 
nobility  of  the  pious  and  gallant  Earl  of 
Devonshire,  who,  giving  a  signal  that  the 
fatal  axe  should  fall,  cried,  "  Let  the  whole 
earth  be  filled  with  his  glory !  "  So  trained 
in  its  length  and  breadth,  the  Protestant 
Church  would  stand  forth  clear  as  the  sun, 
fair  as  the  moon,  and  terrible  as  an  army 
with  banners.  When  believers,  though  few 
comparatively  in  numbers,  come  generally 
to  the  conviction  that  they  are  trustees  of 
a   great  treasure   for  the    rest  of   the    race, 


270      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vn. 

and  that  when  they  pray  whole  nations  are 
their  clients,  millennial  glory  will  not  be  far 
off.  Here  then,  with  steady  aim,  should 
be  carried  on  a  study  of  the  prophecies, 
promises,  and  parables  of  the  kingdom,  till 
people  become  amazed  at  the  contracted 
character  of  their  former  petitions  ;  till  they 
l^arn  how  exhaustless  is  the  treasury  of 
divine  assurances  on  which  they  may  draw 
to  the  largest  amount ;  till  they  shall  cease 
to  measure  the  affluence  of  God's  loving 
faithfulness  by  the  poverty  of  our  unbelief; 
till  they  shall  cease  giving  the  lie  practically 
to  Holy  Writ,  and  shall  graduate  their  de- 
sires by  the  dignity  of  Christ's  person,  the 
magnitude  of  his  work,  and  the  far-reaching 
compass  of  the  church's  campaign.  If 
Queen  Mary  had  reason  to  fear  the  prayers 
of  John  Knox  more  than  an  army  of  ten 
thousand  men,  what  quaking  in  the  king- 
dom of  darkness  would  ensue  upon  such 
supplication  by  an  entire  church  —  by  the 
entire  sisterhood  of  churches  !  Never  have 
the   length  and   breadth  of   these  words  of 


LECT.  VII.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    2*]\ 

the  faithful  and  true  Witness  been  fully 
compassed :  All  things  whatsoever  ye  shall 
ask  in  prayer,  believing,  ye  shall  receive. 

5.  —  Covenants  of  Supplication. 

There  is  one  canon  of  prayer  widely 
applicable,  yet  pertinent  in  this  connection 
no  less  than  in  any  other.  It  is  found  in 
Matthew's  gospel,  the  eighteenth  chapter. 
It  follows  our  Lord's  rescript  touching 
church  discipline,  and  is  often  treated  as  a 
continuation  of  that  subject.  Commenta- 
tors have  sought  for  a  logical  connection, 
where,  as  it  seems  to  me,  none  exists.  One 
characteristic  of  this  evangelist  is  that  he 
frequently  gives  in  juxtaposition  events  and 
utterances  which  had  no  connection  in  time, 
and  occasionally  those  which  have  but  little 
connection  in  subject  matter.  Independ- 
ently of  that,  however,  it  seems  plain  that 
in  verses  nineteen  and  twenty  a  new  subject 
is  introduced  —  Again  I  say  unto  you  —  in- 
dicating that  he  turns  to  another  topic. 
That   topic  is  devotional  compacts :   Again 


272       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lbct.  vii. 

I  say  unto  you,  that  if  two  of  you  shall  agree 
on  earth  as  touching  anything  that  they 
shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven.  Here  is  set 
forth  a  privilege  singularly  neglected.  The 
great  Teacher  thus  announces  a  law  relat- 
ing to  supplication  which  deserves  the  es- 
pecial thought  of  every  believer.  It  is 
noteworthy  that  among  his  teachings  on 
the  general  subject  of  prayer  as  respects 
social  relations  we  find  only  two  —  the 
Lord's  Prayer  and  the  passage  before  us. 
The  main  conditions  relating  to  this  mode 
of  supplication  must  be  noticed.  Defect  in 
any  of  the  fundamental  terms  here  laid 
down  will  account  for  failures. 

One  primary  condition  has  respect  to  the 
formation  of  devout  covenants:  If  two  of  you 
shall  agree  —  Gvii<^u>vi]Gi^aLv^  shall  be  in  unison, 
like  musical  instruments  attuned  to  the 
same  key.  Something  besides  lip  interces- 
sion, something  more  than  to  have  it  occur 
to  a  couple  of  persons  that  a  particular 
blessing  would  be  a  good  thing,  and  so  they 


LECT.  vir.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.     273 

will  just  ask  for  it,  is  here  meant.  Hearts 
must  harmonize.  There  is  intimated  such 
spiritual  concord  as  is  found  when  souls 
reverently  attentive  to  the  suggestions  of 
God's  providence  and  the  indwelling  Com- 
forter disclose  to  each  other  their  sympa- 
thetic desires.  Such  inmost  unity,  wrought 
and  sealed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  so  difficult 
to  be  defined  to  the  inexperienced,  needs 
no  explanation  to  those  versed  in  the  more 
intimate  fellowship  of  saints.  This  is  not 
something  gotten  up ;  it  comes  down. 
"  Why  do  you  expect  a  revival  ?  "  rejoined 
a  pastor  to  a  wise  and  zealous  member  of 
his  flock.  "  Because,"  was  the  reply,  "  I 
have  learned  this  evening  that  three  mem- 
bers of  our  church  are  praying  for  the  same 
individual ;  each  is  ignorant  of  the  strong 
desires  of  the  others.  It  is  the  Spirit  of 
God  alone  that  can  thus  operate  simultane- 
ously on  these  minds."  Let  such  persons 
once  come  together  and  how  naturally  will 
a  covenant  of  supplication  ensue  !  As  a  few 
women,  who    had  long   been   associated  in 


2  74      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vu 

a  praying  circle,  met,  agreeably  to  their 
custom  one  of  them  read  from  this  eight- 
eenth chapter  of  Matthew.  After  reading 
the  promise —  I  say  unto  you  that  if  two  of 
you  shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching  any- 
thing that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done 
for  them  of  my  F'ather  which  is  in  heaven  — 
she  paused  a  moment  and  then  said :  "  Is 
it  possible  that  we  have  so  often  met  to 
make  known  our  requests  unto  God  and 
have  never  noticed  this  promise  ?  I  have 
read  it  all  my  life,  but  it  seems  new  to  me. 
Why  should  our  prayers  be  unavailing  when 
we  have  such  an  assurance  from  the  Sav- 
iour's lips  ?  Perhaps  it  is  because  we  have 
not  agreed  on  some  definite  object  for  which 
to  pray."  She  then  proposed  that  a  partic- 
ular person  be  made  the  subject  of  special 
supplication.  A  prominent  man  in  the 
community,  highly  esteemed,  but  never 
seen  at  evening  meetings  and  never  mani- 
festing special  interest  in  the  one  thing 
needful,  was  selected.  The  band  of  pray- 
ing persons  poured  out  their  hearts  in  his 


LECT.  vii]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.     275 

behalf,  and  agreed  that,  without  mentioning 
the  matter  to  any  one,  they  would  continue 
to  do  so  till  they  should  come  together 
again  after  a  fortnight.  What  was  their 
surprise  at  the  next  weekly  meeting  of  the 
church  to  see  that  individual  enter  the  room, 
and  in  the  course  of  the  evening  to  hear 
him  state  that  within  a  few  days  he  had 
become  deeply  impressed  with  the  thought 
that  he  was  living  without  God  and  with- 
out hope  in  the  world,  and  had  come  to  ask 
an  interest  in  the  prayers  of  those  present. 
Before  the  next  meetino:  of  that  ladies' 
praying  circle  he  expressed  hope  in  Christ 
as  his  Saviour.  Thus  encouraged  the  ladies 
selected  another  and  another  subject  for 
specific  supplication,  and  in  each  instance 
the  result  was  equally  striking.  This  illus- 
trates my  meaning;  and  when  individuals 
or  a  church  have  become  imbued  with  the 
Spirit  of  missionary  grace  and  supplications, 
will  there  not  be  multiplied  instances  of  such 
hallowed  and  effective  agreements  ? 

Another   condition   vital    to   these   cove* 


276       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vn. 

nants  is  that  the  proceeding  bear  a  truly 
Christian  stamp.  Gathered  together  in  my 
name,  we  read  in  the  twentieth  verse.  A 
deficiency  that  would  be  fatal  in  any  other 
method  of  prayer  will  be  fatal  here.  It  is 
implied  that  there  is  not  only  agreement 
to  ask  for  a  certain  object,  but  that  there 
will  be  social  supplication  —  that  ordinarily 
persons  so  confederating  will  meet  and  pray 
together.  In  my  name,  are  mighty  words 
—  the  hearty  acknowledgment  of  my  aton- 
ing work  and  my  intercession,  with  desires 
for  my  honor  by  the  advancement  of  my 
kingdom  of  grace.  Self  must  be  in  abey- 
ance —  all  expectation  of  credit  for  intimacy 
with  the  Lord  Jesus,  all  vanity  over  devo- 
tional achievements,  all  thought  of  reputa- 
tion accruing  from  success.  It  is  not 
indeed  supposable  that  when  any  other 
than  a  holy  motive  is  uppermost,  two  hearts 
will  come  into  such  hallowed  harmony ;  yet 
starting  aright  they  may  degenerate.  Great 
watchfulness  is  needed  lest  self  intrude  and 
mar.     Early  in  the  history  of  the  American 


LECT.  vii.i  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    277 

Mission  at  Constantinople,  two  Armenians, 
who  were  evidently  enlightened  and  moved 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  before  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  missionaries,  made  a  formal 
consecration  of  themselves  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  One  of  them,  Senekerim,  in 
reading  the  New  Testament,  found  the 
words :  If  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth, 
as  touching  anything  that  they  shall  ask, 
it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.  Full  of  joy,  he  informed 
his  friend  Hohannes,  who  rejoiced  with  him, 
and  they  prayed,  saying :  "  O  God,  we  agree 
to  ask  that  our  nation  may  awake,  may 
know  the  gospel,  and  may  understand  that 
it  is  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  alone  which 
purgeth  away  sin."  "  And  great,"  says 
Senekerim,  "was  our  hope  in  regard  to 
this  thing." '  Signally  has  God  answered 
their  prayers. 

A  specific  object  of   request  is  required, 
touching    anything.      Whatever    it    be,    it 

'  Tracy's  History  of  the  American  Board,  page  297. 


278       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vii. 

must  be  well  defined.  Agreement  to  pray 
merely  in  general  for  the  welfare  of  mis- 
sions or  the  conversion  of  the  world,  fails 
to  meet  the  case.  The  Holy  Spirit  does 
not  usually,  if  ever,  draw  two  hearts  into 
a  devout  supplication  for  anything  so 
vaguely  vast  as  that.  The  m^ore  powerful 
his  influence,  the  more  does  he  individualize 
desires,  and  the  more  vividly  does  he  im- 
press with  a  sense  of  devotional  responsi- 
bility and  privilege.  "  I  hesitate  not,"  says 
the  Professor  of  Theology  in  the  Free 
Church  College,  Aberdeen,  "  to  build  upon 
this  promise  the  following  proposition  : 
That  the  more  extensively  we  can  organize 
an  agreement  among  all  that  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  ask  for  specific  things  in  prayer, 
and  the  more  symphonious  those  prayers 
are,  the  more  assuredly  will  those  things 
be  done  for  us  by  his  Father  which  is  in 
heaven." 

There  is  a  pledge  to  be  noticed :  There 
am  I  in  the  midst  of  them.  This  is  hab- 
itually pleaded,  and  allowably,  in  behalf  of 


LECT.  VII.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    279 

any  social  assemblage  for  prayer;  yet  that 
is  not  the  specific  application  intended  by 
our  Lord.  We  fail  to  catch  and  employ 
the  exact  sense,  unless  with  studious  pre- 
cision and  due  encouragement,  we  keep 
in  mind  such  holy  compacts  as  Jesus  Christ 
would  encourage.  The  special  basis  of  en- 
couragement is  to  be  noted ;  and  the  two 
parts  should  always  go  together  as  a  single 
sentence.  The  reason  of  success  is :  There 
am  1  to  preside  over  the  asking,  to  see  to 
it  that  harmonized  hearts  are  drawn  forth 
aright  in  faith  and  earnest  persistence. 
Whenever  two  meet  truly  in  Christ's  name, 
there  will  always  be  a  third  one  present. 
Each  of  those  who  covenant  must  be  a 
person  who  can  say,  I  would  see  Jesus, 
Jesus  only !  I  would  be  filled  with  thy 
love  !  Not  for  my  sake,  but  for  thine.  Lord 
Jesus,  do  I  ask  this !  Let  two  such  kneel 
together,  and  Christ  is  between  them.  He 
is  there  to  guide,  to  quicken,  to  strengthen, 
to  answer  them.  It  is  a  prayer  meeting 
which    has    power.      Supplication    from   a 


28o      MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vh. 

spot  like  that  must  prevail.  It  shall  be  done 
for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 
The  Father  has  peculiar  delight  in  coopera- 
tive faith  ;  he  puts  special  honor  upon  such 
fellowship  of  saints.  It  may  well  be  ob- 
served that  there  are  only  two  explicit 
pledges  of  Christ's  presence  with  individ- 
uals. This  is  one  of  them,  and  the  other 
is  to  those  actively  engaged  in  promulgat- 
ing the  gospel :  Lo !  I  am  with  you.  There 
is  nothing  that  God  will  not  do  for  those 
with  whom  his  Son  associates  so  intimately. 
The  circumstances  of  association  are  to 
be  noted  :  If  two  of  you  shall  agree.  Our 
Saviour  makes  this  promise  to  the  minimum 
of  fellowship,  to  the  smallest  number  that 
can  constitute  society.  Fewer  could  not 
frame  an  agreement.  It  does  not  take  a 
large  number  to  make  an  effective  prayer 
meeting.  Any  two;  it  need  not  be  aged 
or  eminent  disciples.  Spiritually  sympho- 
nious  agreement  is  the  essential  element. 
Any  two  anywhere.  Formalities  of  time 
and    place  are  of   small    account,  so    there 


LECT.  VII.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    28 1 

be  such  harmony  of  heart,  such  purity  of 
motive,  such  earnest  desires  concerning 
some  missionary  object,  as  will  bring  two, 
three,  or  any  number  together  for  joint 
special  intercession.  Where  such  a  convo- 
cation is,  large  or  small,  there  Christ  is ; 
where  the  Sovereign  tarries,  there  for  the 
time  is  a  palace.  In  journeying  on  his 
mission  tours  from  place  to  place  John 
Howard  used  to  have  prayers  regularly 
with  his  servant.  "  Wherever  I  have  a 
tent,"  he  would  say,  "  God  shall  have  an 
altar." 

Is  it  not  specially  appropriate  that  min- 
isters of  the  gospel  should  act  upon  this 
suggestion  of  their  Lord  and  Master.?  Dr. 
GrifHn  and  Father  Hallock,  pastors  of  ad- 
joining parishes  in  Connecticut,  near  the 
close  of  the  last  century,  did  so.  In  view 
of  the  languishing  state  of  their  churches 
they  mourned  and  wrestled  in  prayer.  One 
or  more  of  the  groves  is  still  pointed  out, 
where  with  other  neighboring  pastors  they 
used  to  retire  and  agonize  for  the  descent 


282       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.vh. 

of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Wonderful  revivals 
followed.  So  also  have  they  followed,  and 
that  too  immediately,  upon  a  more  general 
united  supplication  which  had  been  solicited 
for  that  purpose.  A  few  years  ago  the  con- 
dition of  things  in  the  Training  School  at 
Kyoto  and  elsewhere  in  Japan  was  such 
as  led  missionaries  and  others  to  continue 
earnest  supplication  after  the  usual  week 
of  prayer.  They  sought  especially  an  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Spirit.  About  the 
ist  of  February  an  appeal  was  sent  to 
over  two  score  colleges  and  theological 
seminaries  in  the  United  States,  asking 
for  combined  intercession  in  behalf  of  the 
school  and  churches  in  the  city  above 
namxcd.  That  appeal  reached  the  various 
places  of  its  destination  not  far  from  the 
loth  of  March  and  a  few  days  later.  On 
the  afternoon  and  evening  of  March  16, 
1883,  came  an  abundant  answer.  No  spe- 
cial sermons  were  preached  on  that  Sab- 
bath. Teachers  did  not  know  till  the  next 
morning   what    had   taken    place;    yet   the 


LECT.vn.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.  283 

whole  school  was  moved  mightily.  Of  the 
nearly  two  hundred  young  men  scarcely 
one  closed  his  eyes  in  sleep  that  night.  In 
almost  every  room  there  was  a  prayer  meet- 
ing. Not  a  few  young  men  were  prostrate 
on  the  floor  in  deep  contrition  for  sin,  such 
as  had  not  before  been  witnessed  in  Japan. 
This  special  manifestation  continued  for  a 
week  or  more.  Recitations  were  not  sus- 
pended ;  there  was  no  preaching  or  ex- 
horting; prayer  was  the  constant  resort. 
Teachers  devoted  themselves  to  restraining 
the  young  men  from  excesses  and  to  induce 
them  to  eat  and  sleep.  Nearly  every  one 
came  under  the  strong  influence,  and  was 
either  converted  or  greatly  quickened.  The 
work  spread  to  most  of  the  qliurches  in 
other  parts  of  the  field,  and  changed  the 
whole  character  of  missionary  work.  From 
that  time  onward  the  churches  in  Japan 
have  been  in  a  state  of  almost  constant 
revival,  and  the  membership  of  all  Protest- 
ant churches  has  increased  about  fifty  per 
cent    each    year  —  a    fact    perhaps    without 


284       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lhct.  vii. 

parallel  in  modern  times.  Letters  dated  a 
little  before  that  memorable  16th  of  March, 
when  received  in  Japan,  were  of  uniform 
tenor :  "  Your  appeal  for  prayer  has  been 
received ;  we  are  praying  for  you  unitedly 
and  with  great  earnestness." 

Every  theological  seminary  is  to  be  re- 
garded as  a  West  Point  Academy,  where 
officers  are  in  training  to  lead  Christ's  con- 
secrated army  to  intercessional  conquests. 
An  immeasurably  higher  achievement  is  it 
to  have  power  with  God  at  the  mercy  seat 
than  to  be  the  greatest  orator  that  ever 
entered  a  pulpit.  Incidental  advantages 
will  accrue.  One  is  the  tendency  to  inten- 
sify devout  desires.  Yielding  to  the  illumi- 
nation and  the  impelling  presence  of  the 
Holy  Comforter,  touching  any  one  thing, 
will  be  likely  to  form  a  general  habit  of  fer- 
vent earnestness,  and  the  amount  of  effect- 
ual prayer  will  thus  be  greatly  increased ; 
so  will  the  use  of  means.  Two  or  more 
suppliants  entering  into  such  a  hallowed 
engagement,    as    has    been    described,    will 


LECT.  VII.]  APPROPRIATE  FEATURES  OF  PRAYER.    285 

hardly  fail  to  speak  often  one  to  another 
concerning  that  and  kindred  matters.  Can 
they  rest  content  not  to  put  forth  personal 
effort  ?  No  more  can  they  than  in  an 
immediate  neighborhood  sphere.  As  two 
Christian  brethren  were  conversing  in  re- 
gard to  the  low  state  of  religion,  one  said 
to  the  other,  "  Let  us  go  into  my  house  and 
pray  together."  They  did  so,  and  spent 
two  hours  in  supplication  for  the  outpour- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Their  souls  were 
aroused.  One  of  them  inquires,  "  Now 
what  shall  we  do  ? "  The  answer  was, 
"  Let  us  go  into  the  next  house  and  talk 
and  pray  with  the  people."  They  did  ac- 
cordingly, and  left  the  fam^ily  in  tears. 
Thus  they  went  from  house  to  house  dur- 
ing the  rest  of  the  day ;  and  that  was  the 
beginning  of  a  signal  work  of  grace  which 
spread  throughout  the  town.  How  is  it 
to  be  accounted  for  that  there  are  not  more 
of  these  two-and-two  prayer  meetings  in 
which  the  Adorable  One  is  also  specially 
present  ?      Why    are    no    more    individual 


286       MISSIONARY  CONCERTS  OF  PRAYER,  [lect.  vn. 

missionaries,  mission  stations,  churches, 
schools,  native  helpers,  and  persecuted  con- 
verts the  subject  of  intercessional  compacts  ? 
Why  should  not  pastors  and  people  be  en- 
couraged to  come  with  Christian  alacrity 
under  these  blessed  bonds ;  and,  unobserved 
by  the  world,  present  themselves  as  yoke- 
fellows in  supplication  before  the  throne  of 
grace  ? 


LECTURE   VIII. 

PRAYER   FOR   MISSIONS 
AiNSWERED. 


PRAYER   FOR    MISSIONS  ANSWERED. 

One  of  the  more  valuable  works  of  Dr. 
Thomas  Goodwin,  an  eminent  English 
writer  of  the  seventeenth  century,  is  en- 
titled The  Return  of  Prayers,  If  frequent 
failure  to  look  for  answers  and  duly  to 
acknowledge  them  had  not  been  of  long 
standing,  that  excellent  man,  at  one  time 
President  of  Magdalen  College,  Oxford, 
would  hardly  have  felt  moved  to  devote  a 
whole  treatise  to  this  subject.  Goodwin 
was  a  careful  student  of  God's  Word,  and 
it  could  not  escape  his  notice  that  the  holy 
volume  authorizes  a  more  assured  expecta- 
tion of  answers  to  prayer  than  has  been 
common  since  the  day  of  Bible  saints. 

ANSWERS    TO    BE    EXPECTED. 

Open  the  Psalter.  The  prevailing  spirit 
of  that  inspired  liturgy  is  a  spirit  of  confi- 


290       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vni. 

dence  in  Jehovah  as  the  hearer  of  prayer. 
Earnest  ejaculations  implying  that  are 
often  poured  forth :  The  Lord  will  hear 
when  I  call  upon  him ;  the  Lord  will 
receive  my  prayer;  he  will  hear  from  his 
holy  heaven  with  the  saving  strength  of 
his  right  hand.  With  a  conviction  so  firmly 
settled,  it  was  natural  that  the  psalmist 
should  have  a  purpose  equally  fixed :  Even- 
ing and  morning  and  at  noon  will  I  pray 
and  cry  aloud,  and  he  shall  hear  my  voice. 
Has  such  a  man  no  testimonies  of  experi- 
ence to  record?  From  the  third  psalm  to 
the  hundred  and  twentieth  they  are  abun- 
dant and  explicit:  I  cried  unto  the  Lord 
with  my  voice,  and  he  heard  me  out  of 
his  holy  hill.  If  such  clearly  defined  belief 
and  such  assured  results  were  pertinent 
three  thousand  years  ago,  what  shall  be 
said  of  a  prevalent  shortcoming  therein  at 
the  present  day  ?  "  What  does  it  signify," 
says  Luther,  "  to  have  prayed  if  you  do  not 
know  what  God  says  to  it  ? "  There  was 
strong   human    improbability  of    Peter's  re- 


LECT.vin.]        ANSWERS    TO    BE    EXPECTED.  29 1 

lease  from  the  prison  where  not  only  chains 
and  bolts  but  sixteen  armed  soldiers  kept 
guard,  but  the  primitive  church  believed 
that  nothing  was  too  hard  for  the  Lord, 
and  so  kept  on  praying  for  him.  Yet  was 
expectation  too  tardy;  otherwise  would  they 
have  thought  the  messenger  crazed  who 
announced  his  presence  at  the  gate?  They 
had  more  reason  to  believe  the  promises 
than  Rhoda  had  to  trust  her  senses. 

Is  there  not  often  a  want  of  honesty  ? 
Do  men  really  believe  they  are  engaged 
in  an  upright  proceeding  when  they  ask 
God  for  that  which  they  never  think  of 
again,  which  even  if  bestowed  fails  to  re- 
mind them  of  the  request  ?  How  far  short 
of  insult  is  it  to  send  some  one  a  request 
by  letter  with  no  expectation  of  a  reply  ? 
or  to  ask  a  question  personally,  and  at  once 
turn  away  as  if  a  response  were  the  last 
thing  to  be  thought  of.^  or  to  knock  at  a 
neighbor's  door,  and  then  be  off  before  the 
summons  can  be  answered  ?  Yet  often 
this  would    seem    to   be   virtually    the   way 


292       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

of  dealing  with  our  Heavenly  Father,  and 
not  least,  it  may  be,  when  we  intercede  in 
behalf  of  missions.  Here  is  somethino:  for 
the  religious  teacher  to  bear  in  mind  with 
reference  to  his  own  practice  and  also  with 
reference  to  the  instruction  of  his  flock.  If 
there  is  any  place  in  the  universe  where  a 
creature  should  maintain  integrity,  the  most 
transparent  integrity,  it  is  at  the  mercy  seat. 
The  prophet  Habakkuk  was  an  honest  man. 
After  praying  he  resolved :  I  will  stand  upon 
my  watch  and  set  me  upon  the  tower,  and 
will  watch  to  see  what  he  will  say  unto 
me.  The  psalmist  was  habitually  upon  the 
lookout:  My  soul  waiteth  for  the  Lord 
more  than  they  that  watch  for  the  morn- 
ing; I  say,  more  than  they  that  watch  for 
the  morning.  Every  suppliant,  every  group 
of  suppliants,  should  be  up  habitually  in 
the  watch-tower.  The  saintly  mother  of  a 
missionary '  used  to  pray  with  a  map  of 
the  world  before  her  in  her  closet  every  day. 

*  Miss  Maria  A.  West. 


LECT.  vm.]    DISTANCE    AN    EMBARRASSMENT.  293 

She  would  plead  with  God  in  behalf  of  one 
country  for  successive  days ;  then  for  an- 
other and  another.  When  her  daughter 
wrote  home  of  the  great  awakening  at 
Harpoot  and  of  numerous  conversions  in 
that  city  and  in  villages  of  the  plain,  the 
mother  replied :  "  I  am  not  surprised ;  I 
have  been  expecting  this  for  months  past. 
I  have  spent  the  hours  before  the  dawn 
of  every  day  in  praying  to  God  for  an  out- 
pouring of  his  spirit  upon  Harpoot." 

DISTANCE    AN    EMBARRASSMENT. 

The  remoteness  of  foreign  mission  fields 
has  an  influence  with  some  to  dull  the  ex- 
pectation of  answers.  The  thoughts  of  too 
many  are  controlled  by  immediate  sur- 
roundings. There  is  narrowness  of  con- 
ception concerning  the  scope  of  Christ's 
kingdom  and  the  ubiquity  of  great  spiritual 
forces.  It  is  not  adequately  apprehended 
that  God  sits  upon  a  throne  high  and  lifted 
up ;  that  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every 
place  ;  that  to  him  there  is  no  such    thing 


294       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  viu. 

as  distance ;  that  he  is  nearer  to  the  antipo- 
des than  we  are  to  one  another;  that  in 
answering  our  requests  less  time  is  required 
for  him  to  touch  the  springs  of  action  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  globe,  than  for 
even  the  telegraphic  current  to  reach  its 
destination.  To  Jacob's  mind  the  fact  that 
Esau  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream 
did  not  make  it  more  difficult  for  his  cove- 
nant-keeping God  to  soothe  that  outraged 
brother.  While  the  nobleman  seems  to 
have  thought  that  our  Lord's  personal  pres- 
ence was  needful  for  the  healing  of  a  son, 
the  centurion,  with  more  worthy  thoughts, 
said :  Speak  the  word  only,  and  my  servant 
shall  be  healed.  But  now  it  is  certainly 
high  time  for  us  to  be  as  little  embarrassed 
by  the  breadth  of  the  great  and  wide  sea  as 
by  the  narrow  brook  Jabbok  ;  by  the  dis- 
tance of  one  side  of  our  planet  from  the 
other  as  by  one  side  of  Capernaum  from 
the  other.  We  have  become  familiar  with 
the  fact  that  the  same  great  ocean  receives 
contributions   from   our    Rocky    Mountains 


LECT.viii.]    DISTANCE    AN    EMBARRASSMENT.  295 

and  from  the  mountains  of  Eastern  Asia. 
It  should  by  this  time  have  become  com- 
paratively easy  to  cherish  a  cosmopolitan 
type  of  supplication  ;  to  have  our  ventures 
of  faith  in  regions  no  less  remote  than  the 
foreign  ports  for  which  our  commerce 
spreads  its  wings.  The  shortest  way,  the 
only  way  of  instantaneous  access  to  any 
point  in  the  opposite  hemisphere,  is  by  the 
mercy  seat.  Our  culture  is  quite  one-sided 
if,  with  the  broadening  of  geographical 
knowledge,  and  with  our  scientific  gener- 
alizations, our  spiritual  conceptions  are  not 
correspondingly  enlarged ;  if  there  is  not  a 
breadth  of  devotional  interchange  answer- 
ing to  the  one  encircling  atmosphere  which 
all  human  beings  breathe.  Christian  char- 
acter needs  the  stimulus  found  in  a  survey 
from  the  loftiest  watch-tower.  David  Brain- 
erd,  when  dying,  could  hardly  have  given  a 
more  appropriate  injunction  to  his  Indian 
converts,  one  better  suited  to  keep  them 
from  settling  down  into  selfishness  or  list- 
lessness,  than  that  they  should  pray  for  the 


296       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vin. 

conversion  of  the  whole  world.  It  showed 
a  high  attainment  on  the  part  of  Samuel 
J.  Mills  that  in  his  devotions — those  that 
were  merely  social  as  well  as  public  —  he 
seldom  prayed  much  for  himself,  but  the 
burden  of  desire  was  for  others.  Beauti- 
fully significant  is  one  of  the  last  letters 
to  his  honored  father,  which  breathes  the 
desire :  "  Long  may  you  live  to  pray  for 
Zion  ! " 

GENERAL    PRAYERS. 

The  lapse  of  time  intervening  between 
petition  and  answer  is  to  be  considered. 
There  are  objects  of  supplication  which 
require  indefinite  periods  for  their  accom- 
plishment. The  great  scheme  of  compre- 
hensive providence,  reaching  from  the  dawn 
to  the  close  of  terrestrial  history,  embraces 
objects,  some  of  which,  even  after  the  six 
thousand  years  already  gone  by,  will  not 
come  to  fulfillment  till  the  great  consum- 
mation. Those  ire  legitimate  themes  of 
prayer  through  -0.1  ages.  There  is  a  pre- 
determined ordef'-of  sequence.      When,  for 


LBCT.\nii.]  GENERAL    PRAYERS.  297 

instance,  the  Son  of  Man  will  come  again, 
knoweth  no  one  on  earth,  nor  the  angels 
in  heaven ;  but  we  do  know  that  the  gen- 
eral conversion  of  the  Jews  is  not  to  take 
place  till  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  be 
come.  The  downfall  of  Mohammedanism 
and  of  the  Papacy  lies  in  a  future  dim  and 
possibly  distant.  Yet  for  those  glorious 
events  supplication,  concentrated  and  con- 
tinued, should  rise  to  heaven.  There  is  a 
general  ongoing  of  the  spiritual  kingdom, 
with  its  manifold  interests  and  occurrences, 
linked  causatively  to  what  follows,  yet 
linked  contingently  with  the  devotions,  the 
faith  and  fidelity  of  the  church  in  each 
passing  generation.  If  the  conviction  of 
this  truth  were  deeper;  if  there  were  a 
more  frequent,  and  wider,  and  expectant 
survey,  confirmatory  evidence  would,  no 
doubt,  be  constantly  cumulative.  The 
apostle  Paul  exhorted  believers  of  his  day 
that  supplications,  prayers,  intercessions, 
thanksgivings,  be  made  for  all  men ;  for 
kings  atid  all  that  are  in  high    place,    that 


298       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lhct.  vm. 

we  may  lead  a  tranquil  and  quiet  life. 
Such  would  avail  measurably  even  then 
under  the  diabolical  reign  of  Nero.  But 
when  something  like  complete  fulfillment 
came  two  centuries  and  a  half  later  under 
Constantine,  were  the  tranquillity  and  quiet 
then  enjoyed  by  Christians  attributed  —  as 
doubtless  they  might  well  have  been  —  to 
the  preceding  entreaties  of  proscribed 
and  martyred  believers  ?  When,  after  the 
lapse  of  years,  parental  intercession  finds 
noteworthy  accomplishment,  do  parents 
always  accept  it  as  proof  of  God's  faith- 
fulness ?  Fugitive  Jacob  made  a  vow  at 
Bethel,  and  a  long  while  after  every  one  of 
his  petitions  was  answered ;  but  it  would 
seem  that  he  needed  a  reminder  from  the 
Lord  of  the  vision  and  the  pillar. 

SPECIFIC    DELAYS. 

Within  more  limited  periods  there  are 
real  or  apparent  delays,  suggestive  not  of 
refusal  but  of  wise  and  gracious  discipline. 
It  was  in  kindness,  greater  than  an  instan- 


LKCT.viii.]  SPECIFIC    DELAYS.  299 

taneous  answer  would  have  been,  that  our 
Saviour  slowly  led  the  woman  of  Canaan 
to  an  appropriate  attitude  of  soul.  Suppli- 
ants have  need  to  learn  the  lesson  of  hold- 
ing on  and  holding  out.  The  elements  of 
every  Christian  virtue  are  thus  fostered. 
Too  often  a  petition  is  merely  lodged,  but 
the  suit  not  prosecuted.  Mission  fields 
furnish  instruction.  In  a  time  of  special 
religious  interest  among  Kafirs  in  South- 
eastern Africa  a  man  under  deep  conviction 
of  sin  was  missed  for  two  or  three  days. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Allison  found  him  in  a  soli- 
tary place,  engaged  in  earnest  prayer,  and 
avowing  the  purpose  not  to  leave  the  spot 
till  his  sins  were  forgiven.  The  missionary 
remonstrated  with  him,  and  advised  him  to 
return  and  take  food.  "  Do  you  not  feel 
hard  towards  God,"  said  the  missionary, 
"that,  after  you  have  sought  him  so  long 
and  so  earnestly,  he  does  not  notice  you  ?  " 
"  Oh,  no,"  said  the  Kafir.  "  Am  I  not  ask- 
ing a  great  thing  of  a  great  King,  which 
he  has  promised  me,  and  can  I  not  afford 


300      PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

to  wait  his  own  time  to  bestow  it  ? "  The 
rude  man's  importunity  prevailed.  There 
is  apt  to  be  an  irreverent,  impatient  hurry 
for  answers.  He  that  believeth  shall  not 
make  haste.  Owing  to  postponements 
there  are  often  awakened,  not  grumblings, 
but  acceptable  groanings.  The  tears  of 
protracted  pleading  water  the  roots  of  all 
spiritual  graces.  The  long  winter  that  inter- 
venes between  sowing  and  reaping  has  its 
needful  place  in  divine  husbandry.  Usually 
the  more  distant  the  voyage  the  richer  the 
return.  In  1S53  the  Baptist  Union  at  its 
meeting  in  Albany,  after  long  discussion, 
decided  not  to  abandon  the  Lone  Star 
Mission  among  the  Telugoos,  and  it  was 
made  the  subject  of  earnest  supplication ; 
afterwards  came  a  harvest  of  souls  at 
Ongole  more  remarkable  perhaps  than  any 
similar  ingathering  since  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost. It  was  the  most  eminent  missionary 
of  that  denomination  who  declared :  "  I 
never  was  deeply  interested  in  any  object, 
I  never   prayed  sincerely  and  earnestly  for 


LECT.viii.]  IMMEDIATE    FULFILLMENT.  3OI 

anything,  but  it  came ;  at  some  time,  no 
matter  at  how  distant  a  day,  somehow,  in 
some  shape,  probably  the  last  I  should  have 
devised,  it  came." ' 

IMMEDIATE    FULFILLMENT. 

While  delay,  be  it  repeated,  is  by  no 
means  denial ;  while  the  covenant-keeping 
God  in  his  wisdom  has  postponements  as 
w^ell  as  appointments;^  while  with  him  a 
thousand  years  are  as  one  day,  many  an 
answer  is  immediate.  Prayer  for  missions 
is  constantly  ascending  and  answers  are 
constantly  descending ;  but  owing  to  dis- 
tance and  to  imperfect  observation  of  the 
connection  of  things  —  the  interval  for  in- 
formation being  usually  long  —  the  identifi- 
cation of  answers  is  not  always  easy.  If 
there  were  a  more  definite  expectation  that 
specific  entreaties  would  meet  with  accept- 
ance, and  if  memoranda  with  dates  were 
kept,  no    doubt  suppliants   at  home    would 


^  Wayland's  Memoir  of  Dr.  Judson,  ii,  page  2,7* 
'^Deus  habet  horas  atque  moras. 


302       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  viil 

for  a  time  be  at  first  startled  by  correspond- 
ences, and  then  would  become  so  habituated 
to  them  as  to  cease  wondering,  and  would 
be  filled  with  adoring  gratitude.  Traceable 
and  noticeable  instances  are  even  now  suffi- 
ciently frequent  to  arrest  attention.  Such, 
no  doubt,  are  recorded  on  high,  and  the 
archives  of  the  unseen  world  must  have  an 
ample  list.  When,  for  example,  the  martyr- 
dom of  Walter  M.  Lowrie  in  China  and  the 
massacre  of  eight  Presbyterian  missionaries 
in  India  led  to  much  prayer  and  consecra- 
tion in  the  Presbyterian  church  of  this 
country,  there  soon  followed  a  great  en- 
largement of  the  work  of  its  Board  of  Mis- 
sions. A  missionary  of  the  American  Board 
among  the  Mahrattas  in  India '  once  wrote 
thus:  "The  first  Monday  in  January,  1833, 

1  shall  ever  remember.  At  our  morning 
prayers  in  the  native  language  three  stran- 
gers were  present,  who  said  they  had  come 
to   inquire    about   the    '  new    way.'     At    10 

^Hollis  Reed.      The   Christian  Brahmin.      New  York,    1836. 

2  vols,    i,  page  241. 


LECT.  VIII.]  IMMEDIATE    FULFILLMENT.  303 

o'clock  Babajee  returned  from  his  morning 
visit  to  the  poor-house,  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy, 
saying,  '  The  poor  people  all  come  about 
me  inquiring,  '  What  shall  we  do  ? '  'I  ap- 
pointed a  meeting  of  inquiry  at  3  o'clock 
today,  and  to  my  joy  and  surprise  there 
were  sixteen  present.  A  heavenly  influ- 
ence, I  am  persuaded,  was  with  us.  Our 
Christian  friends  in  America  must  be  pray- 
ing for  us. '  "  Yes,  indeed.  As  mentioned 
in  the  preceding  lecture  the  day  had  been 
set  apart,  though  unknown  to  the  missionary 
at  that  time,  by  the  General  Assembly  in 
the  United  States,  and  by  other  bodies  of 
Christians,  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  of  prayer 
for  the  heathen  world.  While  they  are 
yet  speaking  I  will  hear.  While  the  church 
were  knocking  at  the  door  of  mercy  an 
answer  came  in  the  person  of  Peter  himself 
knocking  at  their  door.  A  missionary  of  the 
American  Board  was  stricken  down  by  an 
epidemic ;  recovery  seemed  doubtful.  As 
she  lay  upon  her  couch,  feverish  and  rest- 
less, a  sudden  and  singular  calm  came  over 


304       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED.  Elect,  vm. 

her.  Just  then  a  co-laborer  at  the  same 
station  came  in  to  inquire  how  she  was,  yet 
fearing  the  worst.  "  I  am  better,  decidedly 
better,"  she  replied ;  "  I  think  I  shall  get 
well.  I  have  the  strangest  feeling  come 
over  me  the  last  hour,  as  if  I  had  new  life. 
I  don't  understand  it."  Presently  she  added : 
"  I  believe  I  know  what  it  is.  I  am  sure 
some  one  is  praying  for  me.  I  think  I  will 
try  to  prove  it."  She  then  asked  the  nurse 
to  bring  her  Daily  Food,  and  turning  to  the 
day  of  the  month,  marked  it.  Many  weeks 
afterwards  a  letter  came  to  her,  saying: 
"  In  January  I  attended  a  meeting  of  the 
Woman's  Board  in  Pilgrim  Hall,  Boston, 
and  I  wish  you  could  have  heard  the  ear- 
nest prayers  offered    for  you,  especially  by 

,"  naming   the   person  who  led  in  the 

intercession  of  that  hour.  Comparing  the 
date  with  the  one  in  her  Daily  Food,  she 
found  an  exact  coincidence. ' 


*  Life  and  Light,  vol.  ix,  pages  56,  57. 


LBCT.  viii.]      THE    LESS    SPECIFIC    SUBJECTS.  305 


THE    LESS    SPECIFIC    SUBJECTS. 

A  reasonable  expectation  of  answers  de- 
pends, as  already  indicated,  partly  upon  the 
objects  for  which  prayer  is  offered.  Those 
which,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  have  a 
prolonged  period  for  their  accomplishment, 
are  to  be  contemplated  in  their  gradual 
realization.  The  prayer,  "  Thy  kingdom 
come,"  more  often  and  more  widely  offered 
than  any  other,  is  being  answered  in  the 
evermore  advancing  spiritual  sway  of  Him 
who  is  King  over  the  kingdom  of  truth  and 
holiness.  Every  token  of  progress,  what- 
ever the  form  or  in  whatever  land,  is  to  be 
accepted  as  an  integral  part  of  the  continu- 
ous fulfillment.  The  whole  modern  move- 
ment of  churches  in  the  line  of  foreign 
missions  is  an  outcome  of  supplication. 
But  for  the  early  prayer  meeting,  main- 
tained seven  years  by  the  Moravian  breth- 
ren at  Herrnhut  for  the  outpouring  of 
God's    Spirit,  would   their   own  remarkable 


306       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

missionary  history  and  that  of  other  Chris- 
tian bodies  have  been  what  they  are  ?  In 
this  country  from  the  year  1815  onward,  for 
about  a  quarter  of  a  century,  a  very  general 
and  frequent  petition  was  that  doors  of  ac- 
cess to  the  heathen  world  might  be  opened. 
Opened  they  have  been,  generally  and 
effectually;  almost  no  part  of  heathendom 
is  now  absolutely  inaccessible.  Well  did 
an  early  missionary  in  India  write  to  An- 
drew Fuller — it  was  in  1799:  "Oh,  my 
brother,  tell  it  to  your  churches,  tell  it  to 
the  society,  tell  it  to  the  whole  Christian 
world,  that  their  prayers  are  not  in  vain  ! 
Lately  they  have  been  praying  with  impor- 
tunity for  Bengal.  Jehovah  hath  heard, 
and  answered :  '  For  the  spoiling  of  the 
poor,  for  the  sighing  of  the  needy,  now  will 
I  arise,  saith  the  Lord  ;  I  will  set  him  in 
safety  at  whom  they  puff.'  "  ' 


^Eustace  Carey.     Memoir  of  William  Carey.     Hartford,  1844. 
Page  286. 


LECT.  viii.]     IN    CIRCUMSTANCES    OF   PERIL.  307 


IN   CIRCUMSTANCES    OF    PERIL. 

The  work  of  gospel  promulgation,  espe- 
cially during  its  earlier  stages  in  any  given 
country,  has  usually  been  attended  with 
personal  exposures.  Christ's  evangelists 
have  gone  forth  as  sheep  into  the  midst  of 
wolves.  The  war-club,  the  sword,  the  fagot, 
the  dungeon,  have  found  many  a  victim. 
The  only  wonder  is  that  any  should  escape ; 
but  the  great  body  of  them  have  escaped. 
Marvelously  has  life  been  preserved.  Mar- 
velously  has  the  hand  of  violence  been 
restrained,  because  the  all-seeing  eye  and 
the  unseen  touch  have  been  upon  the  evil 
passions  of  men  ;  but  the  ubiquity  of  that 
gracious  interposition  has  stood  connected 
with  the  cries  of  watchmen  on  the  walls  of 
Zion.  Referring  to  Julian  the  Apostate's 
defeat,  Nazianzen  exclaims :  "  How  many 
myriads  and  squadrons  of  men  were  there, 
whom  we,  only  praying  and  God  willing, 
discomfited  ! "     So  may  it  now  be  said  con- 


308       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

cerning  the  opponents  of  missions.  Not 
more  truly  did  the  solemn  fast  held  in 
England,  on  the  day  that  Henry  V  fought 
at  Agincourt,  have  to  do  with  the  signal 
victory  achieved  there,  than  concerts  of 
prayer  now  win  triumphs  every  month  over 
hostile  forces  on  the  mission  field.  In  1862 
a  large  band  of  the  English  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society's  laborers  at  Abeokuta,  in 
the  Yoruba  country,  West  Africa,  was 
threatened  by  the  King  of  Dahomey.  The 
remarkable  deliverance  then  experienced 
was  rightly  regarded  as  a  direct  answer  to 
the  special  prayer  offered  all  over  England 
in  behalf  of  the  imperilled  mission. 

INDIVIDUALITY    OF    SUPPLICATION. 

Can  any  one  doubt  that  the  safety  of 
many  an  individual  ambassador  who  has 
o^one  far  hence  amonsf  the  Gentiles  is  often 
insured  because  of  the  petition  so  frequently 
offered  that  his  life  may  be  precious  in  the 
sight  of  God  ?  Why  is  there  no  more  rec- 
ognition of  the  fact.?     Col.  John  Blackadder, 


LECT.  VIII.]  INDIVIDUALITY  OF  SUPPLICATION.         309 

a  brave  and  godly  man,  whose  garments 
were  pierced  with  bullets  in  more  than  one 
action,  said  to  his  wife  —  and  many  a  mis- 
sionary may  do  substantially  the  same  — 
"  When  you  grow  anxious  and  thoughtful, 
take  my  riddled  hat  and  hang  it  up  before 
you,  and  trust  in  God  who  hath  delivered 
and  doth  daily  deliver,  and  in  whom  I  trust 
that  he  will  yet  deliver."  Whatever  the 
theme  of  entreaty,  answers  become  specially 
impressive  when  specific  and  individualized. 
If  a  man  stands  greatly  in  need  of  such 
illustrations,  and  builds  his  belief  in  prayer 
upon  them,  his  faith  is  feeble  indeed.  It 
should  be  enough  for  any  one  that  there  are 
promises  exceeding  great  and  precious,  and 
that  faithful  is  He  who  hath  promised.  It 
is  not,  however,  amiss  for  us  to  take  encour- 
agement from  recorded  proofs  of  divine 
faithfulness.  It  is  not  foreign  to  the  de- 
signs of  Providence  that  we  keep  in  grateful 
remembrance  such  facts  as  that  scarcely 
were  the  voice  and  life  of  Tyndale  quenched 
by  the  flames,  before  there  came  an  answer 


3IO       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

to  the  martyr's  last  prayer,  "  Lord,  open  the 
King  of  England's  eyes  !  "  The  capricious, 
persecuting  monarch  issued  an  order  that 
the  Bible  be  placed  in  every  church  for  the 
use  of  the  people. 

Our  vows  are  heard  betimes,  and  Heaven  takes  care 
To  grant,  before  we  can  conclude  the  prayer. 
Preventing  angels  met  it  half  the  way, 
And  sent  us  back  to  praise,  who  came  to  pray.^ 

Undoubtedly  the  habit  of  greater  partic- 
ularity in  petitions  should  be  cultivated. 
The  mendicant,  who  comes  to  our  door 
asking  and  desiring  nothing  in  particular, 
will  go  away  as  empty  as  he  comes.  Can 
indefinite  applications  to  the  throne  of 
grace  be  expected  to  move  the  heart  or 
hand  of  Him  who  sits  thereon  ?  It  was  an 
excellent  practice  which  the  father  of  John 
Owen,  secretary  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Society,  maintained.  His  interest  in  mis- 
sions was  of  the  genuine  kind.  It  led  him 
to  pray  by  name   for  laborers  in  the    field. 


Dryden's  Britannia  Rediviva. 


LECT.  VIII.]  SPIRITUAL    ADVANCEMENT.  3 II 

In  one  instance  —  and  that  not  a  peculiar 
instance — he  said  to  a  friend  that  he  had 
been  spending  a  couple  of  hours  in  his  re- 
tirement, praying  for  all  the  missionaries  of 
the  several  religious  societies.  There  was 
a  devout  old  man  in  Dorset,  Vermont,  fifty 
years  ago,  who,  on  taking  leave  of  a  young 
missionary  couple  (1838),  pledged  a  remem- 
brance of  them  in  prayer  every  day  of  his 
life.  Nine  years  later  he  sent  them  word 
that  he  had  thus  far  fulfilled  his  promise.' 

SPIRITUAL    ADVANCEMENT. 

What  is  the  chief  object  of  all  missions 
—  missions  conducted  on  the  true  script- 
ural basis  .f^  It  is  the  advancement  of  our 
Lord's  special  dominion  extensively  and 
intensively;  the  turning  of  men,  in  the 
largest  numbers  possible,  from  darkness  to 
light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God ;  the  renovation  of  souls,  and  their 
upbuilding    in    a    vigorous    loyalty    to    our 

*  Margarette  W.  Lawrence.     Light  on  the  Dark  River.     Boston, 
1854.     Page  105. 


312       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

adorable  Head.  Mere  social  improvement 
and  education  are  wholly  subordinate,  inci- 
dental, consequential.  Lost  men  must  be 
saved.  Culture  may  fail  to  render  that 
result  any  more  probable.  Wrestling  ear- 
nestness is  not  likely  to  be  put  forth  by 
those  who  deem  civilization  needful  as  a 
pioneer  to  conversion.  The  special  office 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  regenerating  and 
sanctifying  sinners  is  the  prime  benediction 
evermore  and  everywhere  needed.  Revivals 
and  the  multiplication  of  converts,  as  the 
drops  of  morning  dew,  are  the  chief  burden 
with  those  princes  in  prayer  who  have  power 
with  God  and  with  men,  and  prevail.  Illus- 
trations abound.  Mrs.  Moffat  made  record 
thus  in  South  Africa:  "The  Spirit  of  God 
has  commenced  his  operations,  and  surely 
he  will  go  on.  Oh,  for  a  more  general  spirit 
of  prayer  and  of  supplication  !  I  hear  from 
my  friend.  Miss  Leeds,  that  the  very  time 
of  the  awakening  here  was  the  season  of 
extraordinary  prayer  among  the  churches 
at  home.     What    a    coincidence  !  and  what 


LECT.  VIII.]  SPIRITUAL    ADVANCEMENT.  313 

an  encouragement  to  persevere  in  that  im- 
portant part  of  Christian  duty !  "  ' 

Most  of  the  revivals  in  the  female  semi- 
nary at  Oroomiah,  Persia,  began  on  the  day 
of  the  monthly  concert  of  prayer  at  home, 
and  several  on  or  immediately  after  the  first 
Monday  in  January  —  a  day  then  specially 
observed  in  behalf  of  missions.  But  there 
was  a  notable  center  of  supplication  in  this 
country  —  the  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary, 
whence  laborers  had  gone  to  the  Nestorians. 
While,  for  instance,  two  inquirers  at  Oroo- 
miah were  making  closets  for  themselves  of 
sticks  of  wood  in  the  cellar  (1846),  Miss 
Lyon  said  to  her  pupils  at  South  Hadley 
that  morning:  "We  must  pray  more  for 
Miss  Fiske  and  her  school  of  Nestorian 
girls."  They  did  so ;  and  when  the  good 
news  of  a  work  of  special  grace  in  Central 
Asia  came  they  took  note  of  the  connection 
of   things.^     The   case    of    the    consecrated 

^  Lives  of  Robert  and  Mary  Moffat,  page  149. 
^  Thomas  Laurie.     Woman  and  Her  Saviour  in  Persia.     Boston, 
1863.     Pages  189,  190. 

Appendix,  note  53. 


314       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

mother  of  one  of  our  missionary  sisters, 
who  was  in  the  habit  of  praying  regularly 
with  a  map  before  her,  has  already  been 
mentioned.  After  the  death  of  that  mother, 
the  daughter  in  Asia  Minor  learned  that 
she  was  remembered  by  another  devout 
woman  —  the  sister  of  a  well-known  col- 
lege professor  in  New  England —  who  kept 
a  list  of  the  missionaries  for  whom  she 
interceded  individually  every  day.  Refer- 
ring to  those  two  mothers  in  Israel,  the 
President  of  Euphrates  College'  writes  me: 
"  I  have  the  abiding  conviction  that  much 
of  the  wonderful  success  of  the  Harpoot 
work  is  due  to  the  supplications  of  such 
persons  in  the  home  field."  Other  Chris- 
tian lands  and  their  missions  give  similar 
testimony.  Some  years  since  there  came 
a  letter  from  a  missionary  in  Java,  Mr. 
Michaelis  of  the  Gossner  Society,  to  his 
brother-in-law,  Rev.  Gottlob  Heinrich.  li 
dwelt   upon  the   great  hindrances    to  evan- 

»  Rev.  C.  II.  Wheeler. 


LECT.  viii.i  SPIRITUAL    ADVANCEMENT.  315 

gelistic  work  which  had  existed  in  his  field 
for  a  long  time.  Mr.  Heinrich,  who  was  at 
the  head  of  a  school,  had  been  in  the  habit 
of  holding  missionary  meetings  with  a  few 
friends.  On  hearing  the  letter  from  Java 
the  little  praying  company  made  that  laborer 
the  subject  of  special  supplication.  After- 
wards cam.e  another  letter  from  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Michaelis,  stating  that  a  spiritual  move- 
ment had  begun  among  the  natives.  Giving 
the  date  of  the  first  indication  thereof,  he 
asked,  "  Did  you  not  that  evening  pray  ex- 
pressly for  my  work  ?  "  The  date  proved 
to  be  identical  with  the  occasion  here  re- 
ferred to.  Mr.  Heinrich  is  now  at  Dalldorf, 
near  Berlin;  and  in  the  autumn  of  1886, 
when  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Michaelis  was 
about  leaving  for  Java,  he  related  the  fore- 
going publicly.'  Where  there  is  a  genuine 
interest  and  a  girding  of  loins  to  the  work 
of  supplication,  the   promises  will    be    con- 


*  Missionsblatt  des  Frauenvereins   fUr   christliche  Bildung  des 
weiblichea  Geschlechts  in  Morgenland,  iSS6. 


3l6       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vin. 

verted  into  performances.  With  delightful 
wonder  will  it  be  found  that  it  is  easier  for 
God  to  send  an  immediate  blessing  to  the 
East  Indies  than  it  is  for  us  to  send  a 
thought  thither. 

INTERCESSION SOCIAL    OR    SINGLY. 

Perhaps  sufficient  has  been  said  in  former 
lectures  regarding  concerted  prayer,  whether 
at  stated  meetings  expressly  for  that  pur- 
pose, or  in  the  ordinary  ministrations  of  the 
sanctuary,  or  in  the  observance  of  specific 
covenants  of  supplication.  Where  the  de- 
votional participation  is  less  restricted,  and 
the  obstacles  are  less,  the  return  of  prayers 
will  probably  be  more  distinctly  looked  for. 
The  Lord  God  of  Elijah  lives  still ;  and  the 
man  of  God  today,  looking  to  Him  who 
rules  the  clouds,  may  singly  bring  needed 
moisture  to  a  parched  land.  Trace  any 
stream  of  blessing  upon  the  evangelistic 
field  back  far  enough,  and  its  source  will  be 
found  above  the  clouds.     One    hand    upon 


LBCT.  VIII.]  INTERCESSION SOCIAL  OR  SINGLY.      3  I  7 

the  hydrant  may  be  sufficient ;  prayer  con- 
trols the  conduit  from  the  upper  pool.' 

Are  the  capabilities  of  individual  wrestling 
with  the  God  of  missions  duly  apprehended? 
We  trow  not.  A  man  is  what  he  is  when 
alone  before  God.  Then,  if  ever,  does  he 
learn  just  how  much  earnestness  of  desire 
he  has  for  the  advancement  of  Christ's  king- 
dom ;  how  much  confidence  in  the  divine 
promises ;  how  much  he  is  ready  to  do  or 
suffer  for  the  cause.  The  absence  of  ever}^ 
human  eye  and  ear  gives  scope  for  illimita- 
ble freedom  and  particularity.  Whoever 
has  not  had  experience  of  this  has  much 
vet  to  learn  in  the  school  of  devotion. 
That  which  does  not  deeply  move  his  own 
heart  will  not  move  the  heart  on  high. 
How  suggestive  the  record  that  President 
Edwards  makes :  "  I  had  great  longings  for 
the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom  in 
the  world ;  and  my  secret  prayer  used  to  be, 


*  Porta  Coeli,  clavis  Paradisi. 


3l8       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vin. 

in  great  part,  taken  up  in  praying  for  it."' 
He  was  then  (1723)  but  twenty  years  of  age.^ 

When  thou  saidst,  Seek  ye  my  face,  my 
heart  said  unto  thee,  Thy  face.  Lord,  will  I 
seek.  It  accords  with  arrangements  in  the 
spiritual  sphere,  not  only  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
should  witness  to  our  adoption,  but  that  he 
should  awaken  special  impulses  to  religious 
duty.  These  fall  in  with  the  gracious  in- 
stincts of  a  devout  soul.  My  prayer  is  unto 
Thee,  O  Lord,  in  an  acceptable  time,  cries  the 
psalmist.  Such  may  be  regarded  as  among 
\\-\^  peculiarly  acceptable  times.  When  God 
makes  special  suggestions  he  has  special 
readiness  to  hear.  Shall  not  He  who  has 
immediate  access  to  the  inner  being  of  every 
individual,  and  whose  eye  is  every  moment 
upon  the  whole  range  of  human  needs,  move 
to  an  intercession  that  shall  bring  his  inter- 
vention .r* 

The   late    Rev.    Benjamin    Slight   of   the 


Edwards's  Works,  i,  page  66. 
Appendix,  note  54. 


LECT.  VIII.]  INTERCESSION SOCIAL  OR  SINGLY.      3  1 9 

Methodist  church  made  the  following  state- 
ment :  A  friend  of  his,  a  missionary  in 
Africa,  while  traveling  on  a  tour  of  duty, 
came  to  a  fork  in  the  road,  one  branch 
going  round  a  hill,  the  other  up  the  hill. 
Hesitating  which  to  take,  he  besought  the 
Lord  to  give  him  direction.  He  found  him- 
self decidedly  disposed  to  take  the  road  up 
the  hill.  Once  at  the  summit  he  had  a 
clear  view  of  the  other  path,  in  which  he 
discovered  several  large  lions.  Deeply  im- 
pressed by  this  escape  from  certain  death, 
he  made  a  memorandum  of  the  facts  and 
the  date.  Afterwards,  when  visiting  Eng- 
land, a  friend  asked  him  if  in  his  missionary 
work  he  recalled  any  special  deliverances ; 
he  narrated  this  incident.  His  friend  there- 
upon stated  that  on  one  occasion  he  became 
distinctly  impressed  with  the  thought  that 
this  missionary  brother  was  in  great  danger, 
and  accordingly  at  once  made  him  a  sub- 
ject of  earnest  intercession.  So  vivid  and 
unusual  was  the  impression  that  he  felt 
moved    to    record    the   date.      The   friends 


320      PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

then  compared  their  dates  and  found  an 
exact  correspondence.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  dwell  on  the  caution  required  regarding 
mental  impressions,  presentiments,  and  the 
like.  There  is  a  class  of  persons  who  are 
specially  liable  to  be  caught  by  groundless 
fancies  and  liable  to  become  the  victims  of 
sheer  hallucinations ;  yet,  undeniably,  im- 
pulses do  sometimes  come  which  are  not  to 
be  accounted  for  except  by  attributing  them 
to  the  Father  of  spirits.  By  what  method 
be  moves  individuals,  sometimes  suddenly, 
in  certain  directions  and  to  certain  acts,  we 
know  not;  but  the  fact  of  his  thus  specially 
influencing  them  is  indisputable. 

An  incident  like  the  one  just  narrated, 
and  analogous  incidents,  are  to  be  accounted 
somethino:  else  than  mere  coincidences  such 
as  occur  in  other  connections.  It  is  not 
surprising,  though  deeply  interesting,  that 
in  the  progress  of  archaeological  studies, 
the  arrow-headed  inscriptions  of  Persepolis 
should  be  deciphered  almost  simultaneously 
by  Saint  Martin  in  Paris  and  Grotefcnd  at 


LBCT.  viii.]  INTERCESSION SOCIAL  OR  SINGLY.      32  I 

Vienna  ;  nor  that,  in  the  course  of  chemical 
experiments,  Stevenson  and  Sir  Humphry 
Davy,  distant  from  each  other,  and  each 
unaware  of  the  other's  labors,  should  at  the 
samiC  time  invent  an  invaluable  safety  lamp  ; 
nor  that  a  deep  astronomical  problem  should 
have  led  two  men,  Leverier  and  Adams,  in 
different  countries,  neither  aided  by  the 
other,  to  a  simultaneous  discovery  of  the 
planet  Neptune.  Such  synchronismis  m.ay 
be  accounted  for  on  the  basis  of  natural 
causes,  and  by  virtue  of  scientific  advance- 
ment and  demands  at  a  given  time.  It  is 
otherwise  in  these  answers  to  prayer.  They 
belong  to  a  realm  not  subject  to  purely 
natural  laws.  Whenever  there  is  special 
occasion  for  it  and  special  prayer  is  offered, 
responses  come  with  no  connection  trace- 
able otherwise  than  through  the  fixed  law 
of  sequence  in  the  supernatural  world. 
Such  gracious  results  fall  within  a  sphere 
where  spiritual  forces  have  play  ;  where  an 
all-seeing  eye  surveys  the  entire  world,  and 
an  unseen  hand  can  touch  every  spring  of 


32  2       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

action  and  every  human  heart  on  earth. 
In  that  kingdom  the  mercy  seat  is  a  central 
source  of  power.  If  our  vision  were  keen 
enough,  we  might  see  influences  radiating 
from  the  Supreme  Will  in  different  direc- 
tions throughout  all  the  continents  and 
islands  of  our  globe.  Those  emanations, 
according  to  the  wise  methods  by  which  the 
great  Ruler  governs  the  world,  account 
easily  for  what  seems  surprising  to  us. 
Remoteness  in  space  begins  to  lose  its 
vague  marvels.  Modern  inventions  may 
help  to  more  adequate  conceptions.  Across 
our  country  there  is  an  uninterrupted  tele- 
graphic communication  of  more  than  three 
thousand  miles  between  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  coasts.  The  aggregate  of  telegraphic 
lines  throughout  the  world  at  the  present 
time  is  not  less  than  two  millions  of  miles, 
and  what  an  amount  of  rapid  intercommuni- 
cation does  that  imply !  When  we  are  able, 
a  day  not  distant,  to  send  messages  almost 
instantaneously  to  our  antipodes,  we  shall 
be  educated    to  conceive    yet    more  readily 


LECT.viii.i  RESULTS.  323 

of  the  ease  and  promptitude  with  which  we 
can  reach  the  remotest  human  being  by  way 
of  the  throne  of  grace. 

RESULTS. 

More  need  not  be  said  in  regard  to  the 
fitness  and  efficacy  of  such  prayer  as  has 
now  been  considered.  It  must,  however,  be 
admitted  that  the  range  of  desire  and  ex- 
pectation is  generally  quite  too  circum- 
scribed, and  that  the  expected  evidence  of 
answers  has  like  limitation.  As  is  the  case 
in  other  departments  of  supplication,  so 
here  two  facts  are  to  be  noticed. 

While  never  disregarding  a  request,  God 
always  reserves  the  right  of  choice  as  to  the 
form  of  response.  Of  two  methods  sov- 
ereign wisdom  must  choose  the  better ;  yet 
Jehovah  maintains  his  faithfulness  none  the 
less.  If  a  debtor  promises  payment  in  silver 
but  brings  the  amount  in  gold,  which  is  all 
the  more  acceptable,  he  does  not  break  his 
word.  Not  only  is  it  good  that  a  man 
should  both  hope  and  quietly  wait  for  the 


324       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lkct.  vm. 

salvation  of  the  Lord,  but  also  that  he 
leave  in  the  hands  of  Supreme  Goodness  the 
method  by  which  his  desires  shall  be  met. 
Abraham  said  unto  God,  "  O,  that  Ishmael 
might  live  before  thee ! "  but  was  not  Isaac 
a  greater  boon  ?  The  children  of  Israel  de- 
sired that  Moses  would  ask  to  have  the  fiery 
flying  serpents  taken  away,  and  doubtless  he 
did  ;  but  was  not  the  remedy  better  than  a 
removal  would  have  been  ?  Was  it  not 
better  that  Paul  should  have  to  beseech  the 
Lord  thrice,  and  that  instead  of  the  thing 
sought  he  received  this  assurance,  "  My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee  "  ?  A  transmuted  bless- 
ing is  none  the  less  a  blessing.  One  wish 
may  be  denied,  while  at  the  same  time  a 
deeper  wish  is  granted.  Augustine  relates 
how  his  mother,  from  fear  of  the  tempta- 
tions that  would  beset  him  in  the  metropolis, 
besought  God  to  prevent  his  going  there. 
Yet  he  went,  and  her  absorbing  desire  that 
he  should  become  a  Christian  was  fulfilled. 
So  will  it  undoubtedly  be  often  found  in  the 
course  of  evangelistic  supplication. 


LECT.viii.]  RESULTS.  325 

Another  right  reserved  by  Him  who  sits 
upon  the  throne  is  the  right  to  go  beyond 
our  petitions  and  manifest  the  riches  of  his 
grace.  Jacob  petitioned  only  for  food  and 
raiment ;  with  what  a  retinue  and  what  treas- 
ures did  he  come  back !  Hannah  asked  for 
a  son ;  God  gave  her  not  only  a  son  but 
a  prophet.  He  gave  other  sons,  too,  and 
daughters  as  well.  Solomon  desired  wis- 
dom, and  while  giving  that  God  gave  peace, 
riches,  and  renown.  When  a  favorite  of 
Alexander  the  Great  asked  a  portion  for 
his  daughter,  the  king  bestowed  fifty  talents. 
Perillus  answered  that  ten  would  be  suffi- 
cient. The  royal  benefactor  said :  "  Ten 
may  be  enough  for  Perillus  to  ask,  but  not 
enough  for  Alexander  to  grant."  So  with 
divine  munificence ;  the  God  of  missions  is 
able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all 
that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power 
that  worketh  in  us  —  the  power  of  holy  de- 
sire for  his  glory  in  the  fulfillment  of  proph- 
ecy and  promise,  a  power  which  above  every- 
thing should  be  cultivated.    Most  deplorable 


326       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vnt 

it  is  that  believers  should  learn  no  faster  to 
avoid  dishonoring  God  by  not  asking  and 
expecting  great  things,  and  by  asking  great 
things  as  if  he  grudged  them. 

THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  one  element 
fails  to  have  due  proportion  generally  in  de- 
votional exercises  —  the  rendering  of  thanks. 
As  regards  the  return  of  prayers  in  the 
spread  of  Christianity,  this  disproportion  is 
not  less  noticeable.  Such  failure  is  rebuked 
by  Scripture  examples.  I  will  sing  unto 
the  Lord,  protests  the  psalmist,  because  he 
hath  dealt  bountifully  with  me.  The  Psal- 
ter is  largely  a  book  of  praise,  praise  in  view 
of  actual  or  anticipated  answers  to  petitions. 
What  a  mighty  wrestler  in  prayer  and  what 
a  grateful  man  was  the  apostle  Paul ! 
Althoucrh  the  care  of  all  the  churches  was 
upon  him,  though  bonds,  violence,  or  wreck 
everywhere  awaited  him,  yet  was  he  con- 
stantly praying  for  fellow  Christians,  wher- 
ever he  had  labored,  and  that,  too,  one  by 


LECT.  VIII.]        THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE.  327 

one,  it  would  seem.  He  assured  believers 
at  Rome  —  and  others  elsewhere  substan- 
tially after  the  same  manner  —  God  is  my 
witness,  whom  I  serve  with  my  spirit  in  the 
gospel  of  his  Son,  that  without  ceasing  I 
make  mention  of  you  always  in  my  prayers. 
But  not  less  assiduous  was  he  in  expressions 
of  gratitude  :  I  thank  my  God  always  on 
your  behalf  —  and  that  not  simply  because 
bands  of  believers  here  and  there  in  Europe 
and  Asia  had  received  the  word,  were  over- 
coming opposition,  and  witnessing  a  good 
confession  before  the  persecuting  world ; 
but  also  because,  in  their  conversion  and 
loyalty,  he  recognized  an  answer  to  his  own 
fervent  supplication  which  mingled  with  all 
labor  in  their  behalf,  and  which  no  distance, 
no  lapse  of  time,  no  pressure  of  engage- 
ments elsewhere,  could  interrupt.  This 
apostolic  habit  naturally  made  itself  felt  in 
early  post-apostolic  times.  Writing  to  the 
churches  at  Smyrna  Ignatius  says  : '  "  Your 

'  Ignatian  Epistles,  chap.  xi. 


328       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

prayer  has  reached  to  the  church  which  is  at 
Antioch  in  Syria."  "  It  seems  then  to  me  a 
becoming  thing  that  you  should  send  some 
one  of  your  number  with  an  epistle,  so  that, 
in  company  with  them,  he  may  rejoice  over 
the  tranquillity  which,  according  to  the  will 
of  God,  they  have  obtained,  and  because 
that,  through  your  prayers,  they  have  now 
reached  the  harbor."  The  same  recosfnition 
and  suggestion  occur  again  in  the  letter  of 
Ignatius  to  Polycarp.' 

Joint  recognition  is  frequent  on  the 
sacred  page.  The  children  of  Israel,  with 
Moses  as  their  leader,  engage,  on  the  far- 
ther shore  of  the  Red  Sea,  in  a  song 
of  thanksgiving  and  exultation,  without 
which  their  God  of  covenant  faithfulness 
would  not  have  been  duly  honored.  So 
too,  repeatedly,  in  later  times.  Was  it 
without  designed  reference  to  the  significa- 
tion of  the  name  Judah,  Praise,  that  orders 
were  issued  for  that  tribe  always  to  lead  the 


'  Chap.  vii. 


LECT.vm.]       THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE.  329 

van  of  the  host  ?     In  that  paean,  the  sixty- 
seventh    Psalm,  is  there  not  an  instructive 

intimation  ? 

Let  the  peoples  praise  thee,  O  God ; 

Let  all  the  peoples  praise  thee. 

The  earth  hath  yielded  her  increase ; 

God,  even  our  own  God,  shall  bless  us ; 

God  shall  bless  us ; 

And  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  shall  fear  him. 


Anticipatory  praise  from  trusting  hearts 
has  all  the  appropriateness  and  power  of 
petition.  It  is  sometimes  the  prelude  of 
victory.  It  heralded  Jehoshaphat's  achieve- 
ment in  the  wilderness  of  Tekoa.  The 
king  had  the  day  before  led  the  people  in 
humble  supplication,  but  when  the  decisive 
hour  approached  he  appointed  them  that 
should  sing  unto  the  Lord,  and  praise  the 
beauty  of  holiness,  as  they  went  out  before 
the  army,  and  say:  Give  thanks  unto  the 
Lord,  for  his  mercy  endureth  forever.  And 
when  they  began  to  sing  and  to  praise, 
divine    interposition    came    most    signally. 


330       PRAYER  FOR  MISSIONS  ANSWERED,  [lect.  vm. 

Thenceforward  that  place  was  w^ell  named: 
the  Valley  of  Beracah,  the  Valley  of  Bless- 
ing. Waiting  upon  the  Lord  with  a  firmer 
faith  and  a  livelier  expectation,  present-day 
believers  might  win  more  alleluia  victories 
in  literal  warfare  and  in  the  great  campaign 
of  bringing  all  nations  under  Messiah's 
scepter.  Timidity  never  finds  a  Valley  of 
Beracah.  Doubt  can  only  falter ;  faith  has 
a  strong  voice.  Within  the  Christian  era 
there  has  here  and  there  been  a  Jehosha- 
phat.  Such  was  St.  Germain  of  Auxerre, 
one  of  the  most  noted  of  early  Gallic  saints. 
When  in  England  —  it  w^as  the  fifth  century 
—  he  had  occasion  to  aid  in  repelling  an 
Incursion  of  Saxons.  They  were  struck 
with  panic  as  the  Britons  under  his  guid- 
ance raised  a  shout  of  "  Alleluia."  But 
whether  such  an  anticipatory  assurance 
exist  or  not,  the  fitness  of  thanksgiving 
for  successes,  in  obvious  answer  to  prayer, 
commends  Itself  as  indisputable.  Now  and 
then  a  modern  commander  sets  us  worthy 
example.     After  the  achievement  at  Jellal- 


LECT.  VIII.]       THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE.  33 1 

abad,  when  soldiers  stood  waiting  orders, 
"  Let  us  pray,"  said  their  commander,  the 
brave  Havelock ;  and  down  they  all  kneeled 
while  he  poured  forth  praise  to  the  God  of 
battles. 


LECTURE   IX. 

MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES, 


MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES. 

The  world  is  growing  more  social.  A 
readiness  to  assemble  for  peaceful  purposes 
has  manifested  itself  more  generally  since 
the  present  century  opened,  and  especially 
within  this  last  half  of  the  century,  than  ever 
before.  Reunions,  conventions,  congresses, 
conferences  for  political,  industrial,  histori- 
cal, educational,  and  religious  objects,  or 
in  the  interests  of  literature,  science,  and 
art,  have,  in  the  lands  of  more  advanced 
civilization,  become  an  every-day  occur- 
rence. International  gatherings  are  far 
more  frequent  than  formerly.  It  is  not 
yet  forty  years  since  the  first  great  exhi- 
bition took  place  (185 1),  at  which  were 
brought  together  specimens  of  the  chief 
resources  of  many  lands.  Several  others 
have  since  then  been  held.  In  the  whole 
range  of    industrial    records    nothing    has 

(335) 


336  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

more  significance  than  these  exponents 
and  instruments  of  civilization.  No  one 
who  surveyed,  for  instance,  the  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  buildings  at  Fairmount  Park, 
Philadelphia,  in  1876;  who  mingled  in  the 
crowd  of  visitors  that  reached  an  aggregate 
of  ten  millions  ;  or  who  glanced  at  articles 
which  sixty  thousand  exhibitors  had  depos- 
ited, could  fail  of  surprise  in  view  of  those 
multifarious  symbols  of  human  skill,  or 
fail  of  impressions  as  to  the  relative 
advancement  of  different  nations.  Such 
proofs  of  power  over  the  forces  of  nature, 
and  of  skill  in  employing  the  products  of 
nature ;  the  resulting  stimulus  to  useful 
activities  —  agricultural,  mechanical,  aes- 
thetic ;  the  happy  social  influences  center- 
ing at  such  a  microcosm  of  ingenuity  and 
taste ;  the  broadening  of  views,  and  the 
deepening  of  comprehensive  sympathy,  ren- 
der every  exhibition  of  that  kind  an  edu- 
cational institute  of  great  value. 

There  is  another  proof  of  progress,  which 
has  no  less  immediate  respect    to    national 


I3CT.  IX.]  MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES.  337 

welfare,  but  which  presents  a  more  mani- 
festly philanthropic  aspect.  I  refer  to  the 
growing  sentiment  in  advanced  communi- 
ties regarding  some  equitable  adjustment 
of  international  difficulties.  Not  only  is 
the  desire  for  a  universal  currency,  as  well 
as  for  a  common  system  of  weights  and 
measures,  gaining,  but  also  the  desire  that 
a  way  may  be  found  for  the  peaceable 
settlement  of  disputes  between  nations.  A 
society  for  the  reform  and  codification  of 
international  law  is  doing  good  service, 
preparatory  to  that  coming  era  when 
nations  will  no  longer  feel  obliged,  at  vast 
expense,  to  maintain  armed  protection  of 
their  own  existence.  A  court  of  arbitration 
instead  of  the  arbitrament  of  the  sword,  to 
settle  conflicting  claims,  is  more  and  more 
widely  felt  to  be  one  of  the  great  desiderata 
of  the  world.  Foreigner  and  foe  are  less 
widely  regarded  as  synonymous.  The 
growing  habit  of  intercourse  between  dif- 
ferent countries,  favored  by  methods  of 
rapid  transit,  is  at  once  a  proof  and  school 


338  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

of  increased  good  feeling.  At  the  time  of 
its  great  fire  London  was  isolated.  The 
rest  of  the  world  knew  nothing  of  it  for  a 
long  while,  and  could  express  no  interest. 
Now,  when  fire  or  flood  or  famine  brings 
desolation  to  Chicago,  or  Hungary,  or 
China,  the  world  suffers  and  the  world 
sends  help.  Intercommunication  and  inter- 
dependence have  wonderfully  increased. 
The  sense  of  universal  brotherhood  is  upon 
the  advance  —  a  sentiment  due  to  the  slowly 
permeating  influence  of  Christianity.  Ours 
is  the  only  religion  which  regards  all  man- 
kind as  cominof  alike  from  the  hand  of  the 
one  God,  as  all  alike  responsible  to  him, 
and  all  needing  one  and  the  same  Mediator. 
Shall  not  the  interests  of  that  religion 
which  alone  can  become  universal,  which 
alone  is  aiming  at  universality,  call  together 
friends  in  council?  It  would  be  strange 
indeed  if  the  great  evangelistic  movement 
of  the  present  century  did  not  lead  to 
assemblages  for  mutual  suggestion  and  in- 
formation. 


LBCT.ix.]    CONFERENCES  ON  MISSION  FIELDS.        339 

In  originating  and  arranging  for  mission- 
ary conferences,  whatever  their  form,  min- 
isters and  candidates  for  the  ministry  have 
hitherto  taken  the  lead.  They  too  at  those 
gatherings  have  taken  the  most  prominent 
part.  The  same  is  Hkely  to  be  true  in  years 
to  come.  Judging  from  the  past  and  from 
present  indications  we  may  infer  that  con- 
vocations of  this  kind,  both  at  home  and 
abroad,  will  have  greater  frequency  and 
prominence  in  the  near  future  than  they 
have  hitherto  had.  Acquaintance  with  this 
auxiliary  to  foreign  evangelization  has  then 
a  certain  fitness  and  importance  for  all  who 
are  looking  forward  to  the  sacred  office. 
There  are  several  kinds  of  such  gatherings. 

CONFERENCES    ON    MISSION    FIELDS. 

One  is  a  conference  on  foreign  ground 
between  deputations  from  home  boards  and 
missions  of  those  boards.  The  London 
Society  led  in  that  method  so  long  ago 
as  18 1 9,  since  which  time  there  have  been 
not   less  than    a    dozen  similar  expeditions 


340  MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix 

under  the  same  auspices.  Among  the  results 
are  "The  Journal  of  Voyages  and  Travels 
(1821-29),  by  Messrs.  Tyreman  and  Bennet," 
compiled  by  James  Montgomery,  the  poet 
(1831);  various  works  by  Dr.  Ellis  on 
Madagascar,  and  by  Dr.  Mullens,  Secretary 
of  the  London  Society.'  Sundry  official 
visits  have  been  paid  to  missions  of  the 
American  Board  by  its  secretaries.  One 
of  the  more  important  of  these  v^as  by  a 
deputation  sent  out  to  India  in  1853-54. 
Dr.  Rufus  Anderson  and  his  associate  held 
meetings,  each  of  three  v^eeks'  continuance, 
in  the  Marathi  field,  the  Madura  field,  and 
in  Ceylon,  besides  less  extended  visits  to 
the  Arcot  and  Madras  missions.  Those 
conferences  were  restricted  to  men  and 
women  connected  with  the  American  Board, 
and  were  private.  The  object  was  to  secure 
a  perfectly  free  and  confidential  discussion 
of   practical    questions.      The    reports   and 


*  y.  O.  Whitehouse.     Register  of  Missionaries  and  Deputations 
from  1796  to  1S77. 


LECT.ix.]   CONFERENCES  ON  MISSION  FIELDS.       34 1 

letters  of  these  special  meetings,  supple- 
mented by  similar  proceedings  in  Syria 
and  Constantinople,  are  contained  in  a  vol- 
ume of  six  hundred  pages,  not  published, 
but  printed  (1855)  for  the  use  of  the  Board 
and  its  friends.  Dr.  Mullens,  before  re- 
ferred to,  records  his  opinion  thus :  "  It  is 
not  too  much  to  say  that  no  volume  of 
equal  size,  published  during  the  era  of  our 
modern  missions,  contains  so  much  valuable 
information  on  all  the  details  of  missionary 
experience  on  several  most  important  fields 
of  labor  as  that  volume  of  missionary 
papers." ' 

Other  boards,  as  that  of  the  English 
Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Society,''  and 
the  American  Baptist  Union,  sent  out 
similar  deputations  to  the  East  about  the 
same  time.  Two  such  by  the  latter  had 
an  important  influence  upon  the  policy  and 
proceedings  of  the  Union.     The  late  Rev. 


*  Conference  on  Missions  held  in  i860,  at  Liverpool.     Page  371. 

*  Minutes  and  Reports  of  Conferences  of  the  Baptist  Mission- 
aries in  Bengal,  the  Northwest  Provinces,  and  Ceylon,  in  1855-56. 


342  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

Howard  Malcolm,  D.  D.,  paid  an  official 
visit  to  India  and  China,  spending  two 
and  a  half  years  (1835-37)  among  the  mis- 
sions in  those  lands.'  The  second  and 
more  important  deputation  was  that  of  the 
Rev.  Solomon  Peck,  D.  D.,  and  the  Rev.  J. 
N.  Granger,  in  1852.  A  convention  of  mis- 
sionaries in  Burmah,  or  a  conference  with 
them,  was  held  at  Maulmain,  the  sessions 
continuing  for  more  than  six  weeks.''  The 
proceedings  led  to  very  earnest  discussions 
throughout  the  denomination  in  our  coun- 
try. 

Another  style  of  conference  under  the 
lead  of  a  deputation  is  one  of  more  public 
character,  a  gathering  at  which  the  repre- 
sentatives of  different  organizations,  occu- 
pying the  same  section  of  a  heathen  coun- 
try, come  together.  Thus  Dr.  Norman 
Macleod,  of  Glasgow,  and  Dr.  Watson,  of 
Dundee,  who  went  to   India  in   1867-68  at 

*  Travels  in  Southeastern  Asia,  Burmah,  Siam,  China,  Hindo- 
Stan.     By  Howard  Malcohn.     Boston,  1839.     2  vols 
^  Annual  Report  of  Baptist  Union,  1854. 


LBCT.  IX.]    CONFERENCES  ON  MISSION  FIELDS.        343 

the  instance  of  the  Established  Kirk  of 
Scotland,  not  only  had  such  official  inter- 
views as  were  just  spoken  of  with  their  own 
missions,  but  also  private  conferences  em- 
bracing members  of  other  missions,  besides 
public  meetings  in  the  three  great  Presi- 
dency cities,  Bombay,  Madras,  and  Calcutta. 
On  the  last-named  occasions  civil  and  eccle- 
siastical dignitaries,  with  friends  of  the 
cause  generally,  came  together.' 

Thought,  still  lingering  in  the  East, 
brings  to  mind  meetings  without  the  pres- 
ence of  any  delegation  from  home  boards. 
Such,  for  example,  have  for  many  years 
been  held  monthly  or  otherwise  in  the 
Presidency  capitals  of  India  —  at  Calcutta 
since  1834,  and  even  earlier.  Such  united 
local  conferences,  consisting  of  all  evangeli- 
cal missionaries  laboring  in  one  city  and 
neighborhood,  are  held  at  Benares,  Banga- 
lore, and  Rangoon.  Questions  of  common 
interest    relating    to    the    great    work    are 


*  JVorman  Macleod.     Peeps  at  the  Far  East,  1871.     Page  29. 


344  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

considered.'  It  was  at  length  deemed  de- 
sirable to  convene  meetings  of  evangelistic 
laborers,  less  frequent  but  from  a  wider  area, 
and  these  have  accordingly  taken  place  in 
each  of  the  great  divisions  of  India.^ 

(i.)  There  was  one  at  Calcutta  in  1855, 
attended  by  fifty-five  members  and  occupy- 
ing four  days. 

(2.)  Two  years  later  (1857)  came  the  con- 
ference at  Benares,  a  city  of  about  200,- 
000  inhabitants,  situated  on  the  Ganges, 
over  400  miles  northwest  from  Calcutta,  the 
metropolis  of  Hinduism,  bristling  with  relig- 
ious buildings  and  crowded  with  pilgrims. 
The  gathering  numbered  thirty-six  mem- 
bers, continuing  the  same  length  of  time 
as  the  former  one  (January  6-9),  and  the 
same  number  of  papers,  fourteen,  were 
presented.  That  was  just  before  the  great 
mutiny  broke  out,  and  every  copy  of  the 
printed  proceedings  was  destroyed. 


^Donald  Macleod.     Memoir  of  Norman  Macleod,  page  209. 
'^  Appendix,  note  55. 


LHCT.  IX.]    CONFERENCES  ON  MISSION  FIELDS.        345 

(3.)  The  South  India  Conference  oc- 
curred the  next  year  at  Ootacamund,  over 
three  hundred  miles  west  from  the  city  of 
Madras,  where  is  the  chief  sanitarium  of  the 
Presidency,  being  more  than  seven  thousand 
feet  above  the  sea.  The  attendance  was  not 
larger  than  on  previous  occasions,  thirty- 
two  members  being  present. 

(4.)  Four  years  more  having  passed, 
there  came  the  Punjab  Conference  at  La- 
hore (1862-63),  ^he  capital  of  the  Punjab 
District,  with  a  population  of  125,000.  Its 
seventy-one  members  —  thirty-three  clerical 
and  thirty-eight  lay  —  were  twice  as  numer- 
ous as  the  largest  already  mentioned. 

(5.)  Another  gathering  took  place  at 
Madras  in  j868,  and  yet 

(6.)  Another  at  Bangalore  in  1872. 
That  is  the  chief  city  in  the  State  of  Mysore, 
a  little  over  two  hundred  miles  west  from 
Madras,  three  thousand  feet  higher,  and 
having  over  150,000  inhabitants. 

(7.)  Still  later  occurred  that  of  South  In- 
dia and  Ceylon  in  1879.     It  numbered  one 


34^  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

hundred  and  eighteen  members  and  lasted 
eight  days. 

Two  others  should  be  mentioned  in  this 
connection:  Punjab  Ladies'  Missionary  Con- 
ference, held  at  Lahore,  December  4-9, 
1882.  Fifty-two  members  from  eight  soci- 
eties w^orking  in  the  Punjab  were  present. 
Second  Punjab  Ladies'  Missionary  Confer- 
ence, at  Amritzir,  February  21-24,  1888, 
with  an  attendance  of  sixty-six  members. 

Some  of  the  foregoing  were  at  the  time 
designated  as  General  Conferences.  They 
were  such  in  the  sense  of  not  being  limited 
to  one  religious  denomination,  and  as  em- 
bracing the  representatives  of  various  con- 
nections. In  regard  to  geographical  scope 
they  were,  however,  all  provincial.  But  it 
was  natural  that  the  thought  of  a  more 
strictly  General  Conference  should  suggest 
itself,  and  a  series  of  that  kind  began.' 

(i.)  The  first  was  at  Allahabad  (1872-3), 
a  city  having  not   far  from    150,000  inhab- 

'  Appendix,  note  56. 


LBCT.  IX.]    CONFERENCES  ON  MISSION  FIELDS.        347 

itants,  between  five  and  six  hundred  miles 
from  Calcutta,  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Jumna  with  the  Ganges.  It  occupied  seven 
days,  the  closing  session  being  on  January 
I,  1873.  The  whole  number  of  members 
was  one  hundred  and  thirty-six,  of  whom 
one  hundred  and  five  were  ordained  mis- 
sionaries, two  chaplains,  seventeen  laymen 
connected  with  missions,  and  twelve  not  so 
connected,  while  the  number  of  societies 
represented  was  nineteen.  This  led  off  in 
what  is  now  known  as  the  line  of  decennial 
conferences. 

(2.)  The  second  decennial  General  Con- 
ference met  in  Calcutta,  1882-83,  with  four 
hundred  and  seventy-five  members,  of  whom 
one  hundred  and  eighty-one  were  ladies 
and  forty-six  were  natives. 

It  was  to  be  expected  that  the  published 
proceedings  of  such  conventions  would 
prove  suggestive  on  other  fields.  Accord- 
ingly a  similar  gathering  took  place  in  the 
Celestial  Empire.     It  was 

(3.)     A  General  Conference  of  the  Prot- 


34^  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

estant  missionaries  in  China,  at  Shanghai, 
1877,  attended  by  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  members. 

(4.)  In  1883  wakeful  Japan  fell  into  line, 
and  a  conference  was  convened  at  Osaka, 
April  16-21.  A  special  blessing  is  traced 
to  that  gathering,  and  in  that  province  there 
are  now  nearly  twenty  thousand  converts. 

(5.)  More  recently  there  was  one  in  the 
City  of  Mexico,  January  31 -February  3, 
1888,  eighteen  missions  and  eleven  denom- 
inations being  represented. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  thus  far  attention 
has  been  confined  to  assemblages  on  mis- 
sionary ground.  But  there  has  been  a 
series  of  undenominational  conferences  in 
the  older  lands  of  Protestant  Christendom. 
Tides  are  never  merely  local,  nor  are  signal 
movements  in  the  religious  world  or  in  the 
world  of  mind.  The  middle  of  the  century 
now  current  marked  an  epoch  in  thought 
among  those  devoted  to  broader  evangel- 
istic movements.  It  was  then  —  when,  as 
already  mentioned,  preparations  were  mak- 


LECT.  IX.]  CONFERENCES  IN  CHRISTIAN  LANDS.    349 

ing  for  the  first  International  Exhibition  -— 
that  a  deputation  from  the  Baptist  Union 
went  out  to  hold  official  interviews  with 
missions  in  Burmah,  and  that  occasion  be- 
came more  and  more  obvious  for  a  similar 
deputation  to  visit  missions  of  the  American 
Board  in  Hither  India.  Just  before  the  last- 
named  deputation  left  home  there  began 
the  series  of 

CONFERENCES    IN    CHRISTIAN    LANDS. 

Intercommunication  between  the  home 
and  foreign  fields  is  intimate.  Community 
of  ideas  and  measures  may  be  expected  to 
prevail.  Similar  simultaneous  movements 
of  the  kind  now  in  hand  may  be  looked 
for.  But  before  a  glance  at  corresponding 
assemblies  in  Christian  lands,  it  should  be 
said  that  conferences  occur  which  are  exclu- 
sively denominational.  Thus  members  of 
the  Established  Church  of  England  have 
been  moved  to  secure  a  convocation  for 
kindred  purposes  among  themselves.  None 
from  the  outside  are  invited.     Such  a  one, 


350  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix 

with  three  sessions,  was  held  in  London, 
June  2  2,  1875,  the  Lord  Bishop  and  Lord 
Mayor  of  London  as  Presidents.'  Two 
years  later,  1877,  another  took  place  at 
Oxford. 

But  we  are  now  chiefly  occupied  with 
union  meetings.'' 

(i.)  The  first  was  held  in  New  York, 
1854,  the  immediate  occasion  being  the 
visit  of  Dr.  Duff  to  the  United  States. 
Friends  to  the  number  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  assembled  in  the  lecture  room  of  Dr. 
Alexander's  church.  There  were  three  ses- 
sions on  May  4  and  5  devoted  in  a  consider- 
able measure  to  hearing  the  distinguished 
missionary  from  India,  but  it  was  in  no 
sense  general,  even  with  respect  to  this 
country. 

(2.)  In  the  autumn  (October  12  and  13) 
of  the  same  year  (1854)  there  was  another 
in  Freemasons'  Hall,  London.  Officials 
and  other  members  of   most  of  the  princi- 

*  Appendix,  note  57. 
^  Appendix,  note  58. 


LECT.ix.]  CONFERENCES  IN  CHRISTIAN  LANDS.    35 1 

pal  societies  at  that  center  were  present. 
Three  special  papers '  submitted  the  fol- 
lowing topics  for  discussion:  (a)  Unity  of 
Aim  ;  (b)  Active  Ministry ;  (c)  Grounds  of 
Hope.  It  was  a  tentative  gathering,  and 
one  outcome  was  the  adoption  of  a  resolu- 
tion expressing  the  wish  that  through  the 
Evangelical  Alliance  preparation  might  be 
made  for  a  conference  more  truly  general. 
Six  years  later,  March,  i860,  came 

(3.)  The  Liverpool  Conference.  One 
hundred  and  twenty-five  delegates  pre- 
sented themselves.  It  began  on  Monday 
evening  and  closed  with  Friday  evening. 
Twenty-five  different  societies  were  repre- 
sented, all  of  them  in  Great  Britain.  It 
was,  of  course,  undenominational. 

(4.)  Similar  gatherings  have  taken  place 
at  Bremen,  Germany,  the  first  in  1866, 
and  thus  far  the  representation  has  been 
restricted    to     continental    societies  —  Ger- 


*  Respectively  by  Rev.  J.  R.  Marsden,  of  Birmingham,  Rev. 
G.  Candy,  a  missionary  from  India,  and  Rev.  J.  Baillie,  of  Lin- 
lithgow.    Evangelical  Christendom,  vol.  viii,  pages  432-3. 


352  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

man,  Scandinavian,  Netherland,  Swiss,  and 
French.  The  method  is  much  the  same  as 
elsewhere,  some  subject  being  introduced 
by  a  written  essay,  upon  which  free  discus- 
sion ensues.' 

Within  the  last  few  years  there  has 
sprung  up  in  our  country  another  form  of 
conference,  which  belongs  virtually  to  the 
same  category  as  the  one  we  have  just 
considered.  I  refer  to  the  Inter-Seminary 
Missionary  Alliance,  which  was  formed  in 
1879.  This  Alliance  naturally  has  an  un- 
denominational character.  Its  ninth  annual 
convention,  consisting  of  over  four  hundred 
delegates  from  thirty-five  theological  insti- 
tutions, was  held  in  Boston,  October,  1888. 
It  lasted  four  days,  including  the  last,  which 
was  the  Lord's  Day. 

Of  later  origin  is  the  International  Mis- 
sionary Union.^     It  was  organized  at  Niag- 

*  Verhandlungen  der  Allgemeinen  Missionsconferenz,  1866  und 
1868.  Berlin,  1S68.  Verhandlungen  der  dritten  Allgemeinen 
Missionsconferenz,  1S72.  Barmen,  1872.  For  later  notices  see 
Allgcmeine  Missions- Zeitschrift. 

^  Appendix,  note  59. 


LECT.  IX.]  CONFERENCES  IN  CHRISTIAN  LANDS.    2>So 

ara  in  1884,  and  is  an  association  consisting 
of  returned  foreign  missionaries.  Any  such 
person  belonging  to  any  evangelical  denom- 
ination, whether  permanently  or  temporarily 
at  home,  whether  man  or  woman,  can 
become  a  member.  Its  object  is  to  pro- 
mote sympathy  and  cooperation  of  mission- 
aries in  their  various  fields.  Important 
questions  connected  with  the  foreign  work 
are  discussed  at  the  annual  meetings,  of 
which  there  have  been  five  —  the  first  two 
at  Niagara  Falls,  Canada ;  the  next  two  at 
Thousand  Island  Park,  on  the  St.  Lawrence 
River ;  and  the  last  at  Bridgeton,  New  Jer- 
sey. Each  of  the  conventions  occupied  an 
entire  week.  At  the  second  meeting  (1885) 
a  little  over  fifty  missionary  workers  of  both 
sexes  were  present;  the  gathering  of  1886 
numbered  sixty-two  members ;  that  of  the 
next  year  also  over  sixty,  besides  several 
candidates  who  were  under  appointment. 
In  July  of  last  year,  1888,  there  were  forty 
present,  out  of  the  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  enrolled  members. 


354  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix 

We  now  come  to  the  first  Ecumenical 
Conference.' 

ARRANGEMENTS ATTENDANCE. 

The  London  Conference  of  1878  was  in 
all  respects  on  a  broader  scale  than  any  of 
the  preceding.  It  was  held,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  one  evening,  in  the  commodious 
hall  at  Mildmay  Park,  Islington  —  a  hall 
with  two  thousand  five  hundred  sittings, 
and  with  accessories  well  suited  to  the  pur- 
pose. The  year  before,  thirteen  thousand 
Americans  were  said  to  have  visited  the 
Paris  Exhibition  ;  only  five  individuals  went 
to  Ens:land  in  order  to  attend  this  confer- 
ence.  They  were  among  the  more  than 
one  hundred  and  fifty  members,  represent- 
ing thirty-five  different  societies  —  English, 
Scottish,  Irish,  French,  German,  and  Amer- 
ican. The  last  week  of  October  was  de- 
voted to  the  occasion,  which  opened  with  a 
session  Monday  evening.    Tuesday,  Wednes- 

*  Appendix,  note  60. 


LECT.  IX.]    ARRANGEMENTS ATTENDANCE.  355 

day,  and  Thursday  there  were  three  ses- 
sions daily  ;  Friday,  one  of  great  length,  at 
the  usual  place,  followed  by  another  in 
Exeter  Hall.  That  of  Saturday  forenoon 
was  for  farewell  and  devotional  services. 
Attendance  upon  the  thirteen  sessions  was 
less  than  might  reasonably  have  been  ex- 
pected —  in  no  instance  exceeding  fifteen 
hundred.  This  was  partly  due  to  insuffi- 
cient pains  taken  to  apprise  the  London 
religious  public  that  such  a  meeting  was  to 
be  held.  Only  the  most  limited  announce- 
ments were  previously  made  from  pulpits 
or  through  the  press.  It  is  usually  about 
as  difficult  to  make  a  deep  and  abiding 
impression  upon  London  as  upon  the 
Atlantic  ocean.  But  at  that  time  many 
persons  generally  well  informed  failed  even 
to  hear  of  the  conference  till  it  was  nearly 
or  quite  over.  Complaints  of  this  omission 
became  frequent  and  outspoken  afterwards. 
The  English  secular  press  was  then,  and  is 
still,  far  behind  ours  in  reporting  religious 
meetings. 


356  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

Before  the  opening  session  of  the  first 
evening  there  was  a  reception  in  an  ante- 
room of  Mildmay  Hall,  where  delegates 
were  presented  to  Sir  William  Muir,  K. 
C.  S.  I.,  chairman  of  the  first  meeting.  Sir 
William  has  occupied  various  public  offices, 
having  been  at  one  time  Governor  of  the 
Northwest  Provinces  in  India.  He  stands 
high  as  an  Arabic  scholar,  is  the  author  of 
a  valuable  work  on  the  Koran,  while  his 
Life  of  Mohammed  ranks  second  to  no 
other.  He  is  now  at  the  head  of  the 
University  of  Edinburgh.  After  him  a 
new  presiding  officer  was  called  to  the 
chair  on  each  successive  day  and  evening  — 
the  Earl  of  Cavan,  the  Rev.  Daniel  Wilson 
(son  of  the  late  Bishop  Daniel  Wilson), 
Lord  Polwarth,  Lord  Kinnaird,  Major  Gen- 
eral Sir  William  Hill,  and  others.  A 
compliment  was  thus  secured  to  the  four 
nationalities  —  English,  Irish,  Scotch,  and 
American;  and  to  the  three  departments  — 
the  Church,  the  Civil  Service,  and  the 
Army. 


LECT.  IX.]     ARRANGEMENTS  ATTENDANCE.         357 

It  is  obvious  that  the  great  object  of  such 
a  convention  should  be  to  discuss  funda- 
mental principles,  to  collate  views  regard- 
ing methods  of  evangelistic  work,  to  exhibit 
the  results  of  different  plans,  to  contemplate 
the  nature,  attitude,  and  strength  of  oppos- 
ing systems,  and  the  various  hindrances 
encountered;  and  by  the  statement  of  suc- 
cesses and  the  exhibition  of  faith  and  hope, 
to  supply  mutual  stimulus  for  more  ener- 
getic efforts  toward  evangelizing  the  whole 
world,  and  that  as  speedily  as  possible.  At 
the  Liverpool  gathering  the  topical  method 
was  pursued.  The  committee  of  arrange- 
ments for  this  one  in  London  designed  to 
have  a  geographical  order  observed,  assign- 
ment being  made  of  Africa  and  the  West 
Indies  to  Tuesday ;  India,  China,  and  Japan 
to  Wednesday  and  a  part  of  Thursday ; 
Polynesia  and  other  islands,  as  well  as 
North  American  Indians,  Patagonians,  and 
others,  to  the  remainder  of  Thursday  ;  Mo- 
hammedans, Jews,  and  ancient  Christian 
churches  to  Friday.     That  arrangement  was 


358  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix 

not  perfectly  carried  out.  Such  were  the 
variety  and  extent  of  regions  and  opera- 
tions, and  the  number  of  speakers  desired 
or  desiring  to  make  contributions,  as  to 
render  completeness  of  survey  hardly  pos- 
sible. 

The  term  conference  applied  to  the  assem- 
blage at  Mildmay  Park  is  appropriate  only 
in  part.  With  the  crowd  of  matter  on  hand, 
opportunity  for  questions  or  free  discussion 
could  be  conceded  only  to  a  meager  extent. 
It  was  rather  a  Missionary  Bureau,  to  which 
contributions  were  made  toward  a  survey  of 
forces  in  evangelistic  enterprise. 

One  feature  of  the  occasion  was  the 
active  participation  of  women.  Not  only 
were  papers  by  the  aged  Mrs.  Weitbrecht, 
then  in  India,  and  the  Misses  Whately, 
daughters  of  the  late  Archbishop  Whately, 
read  by  gentlemen,  but  at  an  afternoon 
meeting  ladies,  one  of  them  a  Mexican, 
appeared  on  the  platform  and  addressed 
the  audience.  The  session  of  Thursday 
evening  was  occupied  almost  entirely  with 


LECT.  IX.]  TOPICS    DISCUSSED.  359 

reference  to  work  among  women  in  the 
East,  by  female  speakers  in  their  own 
person  --  Mrs.  Urmiston,  wife  of  Colonel 
Urmiston,  of  the  army ;  Mrs.  Ferguson, 
born  in  India;  Mrs.  Etherington,  of  the 
Wesleyan  Mission  at  Benares ;  and  Miss 
Maria  West,  of  the  American  Mission  in 
Western  Turkey.  Their  addresses  were  in- 
teresting and  effective,  and  the  audience 
was  larger  that  evening  than  any  other. 

TOPICS    DISCUSSED. 

Topics  outside  the  department  of  statis- 
tics and  of  narrative  were  treated,  valuable 
essays  being  presented  on  themes  of  high 
importance.  Among  these  was  the  thought- 
ful paper  by  Dr.  Murray  Mitchell,  of  the 
Free  Church  of  Scotland,  discussing  the 
"  Influence  of  Education  in  India  on  the 
Spread  of  True  Christianity  ;  "  another  by 
Edward  B.  Underbill,  LL.D.,  late  Secretary 
of  the  English  Baptist  Missionary  Society, 
on  "  The  Results  of  Slave  Emancipation ;  " 
and    another    by    the    Rev.    Wm.    Jenkins 


360  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

Secretary  of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary 
Society,  on  the  question,  "  To  what  extent  is 
the  spread  of  Christianity  assisted  or  other- 
wise by  the  truths  or  principles  which 
underlie  the  systems  of  Hinduism  or  Mo- 
hammedanism, and  are  presumed  to  corre- 
spond with  the  truths  and  principles  of  the 
gospel  ?  "  Extempore  addresses  were  also 
listened  to.  The  most  elaborate  of  these 
unwritten  efforts  were  delivered  at  the  even- 
ing meetings,  and  especially  the  last  one 
of  the  kind,  that  in  Exeter  Hall.  To  Dr. 
Clark,  Foreign  Secretary  of  the  American 
Board,  was  appropriately  assigned  the  place 
of  honor,  whose  closing  speech,  full  of  ear- 
nest thought,  quite  redeemed  the  tone  of 
the  meeting,  which  had  begun  sensibly  to 
decline. 

While  the  conference  failed  to  be  ecu- 
menical, it  w^as  more  truly  general  than 
any  of  earlier  date.  It  was  indeed  partially 
cosmopolitan.  The  ends  of  the  earth  met 
at  Mildmay  Park.  In  the  persons  of  mis- 
sionaries   and    other    Christian  workers,  re- 


LHCT.  IX.]  REPRESENTATIVE    MEN.  36 1 

motest  regions  of  our  globe  were  there  — 
not  only  officials  representing  the  chief 
Protestant  nations,  but  from  those  nation- 
alities men  who,  by  voluntary  expatriation, 
have  familiarized  themselves  with  many  of 
the  dark  places  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
China  was  there;  India  was  there;  Africa, 
Southern,  Central,  and  Western,  was  there. 
So  was  Egypt,  Mt.  Lebanon,  and  Asia 
Minor.  So  too  our  continent.  Islands  of 
the  sea  were  there  —  Formosa,  Sumatra, 
Madagascar,  Australia,  New  Guinea,  New 
Hebrides,  Polynesia,  and  the  West  Indies. 

REPRESENTATIVE    MEN. 

Men  of  mark  came  upon  the  platform.  I 
say  nothing  in  regard  to  American  dele- 
gates. The  name  of  Dr.  Mullens,  Foreign 
Secretary  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety, had  become  widely  known  as  an 
executive  officer  and  as  an  author.  Few 
Englishmen  surpassed  Dr.  Morley  Pun- 
shon,  of  the  Wesleyan  Society,  as  a  plat- 
form orator.    The  gentlemen  of  the  Scottish 


362  MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix 

Boards  have  never  been  accused  of  medioc- 
rity. That  interesting  book,  Prayi7ig  and 
Working,  by  Fleming  Stevenson,  of  Dub- 
lin, is  well  known;  so  —  at  least  in  Germany 
—  are  the  four-volumed  history  of  the 
Berlin  Missionary  Society,  by  Dr.  Wange- 
mann,  and  sundry  books  by  Professor  Plath, 
who  is  at  the  head  of  the  Gossner  Society. 
Those  present  had  the  pleasure  of  listening 
to  these  men,  as  also  to  Mr.  Sherring,  who 
wrote  the  History  of  Protestant  Missions 
i7i  India,  and  other  works.  Fixed  attention 
was  given  to  an  exhaustive  paper  on  mis- 
sions in  China,  by  Professor  Legge,  of 
Oxford  University,  who  has  edited  Chinese 
classics.  Every  one  was  struck  with  the 
modest  bearing  and  interesting  statement 
of  Admiral  Prevost,  of  the  Royal  Navy. 
Who  has  not  learned  to  revere  the  name 
of  Sir  Thomas  Fow^ell  Buxton,  the  philan- 
thropist, successor  to  Wilberforce  as  leader 
of  the  anti-slavery  movement  in  England  1 
It  was  gratifying  to  listen  to  a  grandson 
of   his,  bcaiinor   the    same   name    and    title, 


LHCT.  ix.j  DR.    ROBERT    MOFFAT.  363 

while  he  made  a  lucid  survey  of  the  pros- 
pects of  missions  in  Central  Africa.  Are 
noblemen  ever  so  noble  as  when,  like  Lord 
Polwarth  and  Lord  Kinnaird,  they  stand 
forth  bearing  v^^itness  to  their  interest  in 
this  grand  enterprise  of  evangelizing  the 
nations  ?  It  was  a  satisfaction  to  listen  to 
the  Earl  of  Cavan  as  he  offered  familiar 
remarks  on  a  passage  of  Holy  Writ ;  and 
to  see  a  man  of  most  catholic  spirit,  devoted 
for  half  a  century  to  Christian  and  philan- 
thropic interests,  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury, 
presiding  at  the  session  in  Exeter  Hall,  as 
he  did  at  the  corresponding  session  of  the 
"  Liverpool  Conference,"  nearly  a  score  of 
years  before. 

DR.    ROBERT    MOFFAT. 

"  Nothing  but  a  missionary !  "  But  the 
man  who  gave  that  toss  of  the  head  and 
that  half  scornful  look  should  cast  an  eye 
down  the  long  center  aisle  of  the  hall  at 
Mildmay  Park.  Whom  do  we  see  coming 
up   the   aisle  —  a  son  of    Anak  in    stature, 


364  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

erect,  his  features  strongly  marked,  his 
venerable  locks  and  long  white  beard  add- 
ing majesty  to  his  appearance  ?  On  dis- 
covering him,  the  whole  great  audience  rise 
spontaneously  to  their  feet.  A  Wesleyan 
brother  with  powerful  voice  is  in  the  midst 
of  an  address  ;  yet  no  one  heeds  him  till 
the  patriarch  has  taken  a  seat  on  the  plat- 
form. Who  is  the  old  man  ?  Is  it  the 
Earl  of  Beaconsfield  ?  Is  it  Mr.  Gladstone  ? 
There  is  but  one  other  person  in  the  realm, 
I  take  it,  to  whom,  under  the  circumstances, 
such  a  united  and  enthusiastic  tribute 
would  be  paid ;  and  that  because  she  is 
on  the  throne.  This  hoary-headed  man  is 
the  veteran  among  South  African  mission- 
aries. He  went  out  to  the  Dark  Continent 
more  than  sixty  years  before  (18 16).  He 
was  now  eighty-three,  his  name  Robert 
Moffat.  To  him  we  are  indebted  for  the 
book  Missionary  Labors  and  Scenes  in 
Southern  Africa  (1842).  To  him  are  the 
Bechuanas  indebted  for  a  translation  of  the 
New  Testament  into    their   language.     Six 


LECT.ix.]  TONE    AND    SPIRIT.  365 

years  before  a  testimonial  amounting  to 
nearly  $30,000  was  presented  to  him.  The 
wife  of  David  Livingstone,  the  famous  Af- 
rican explorer,  was  his  daughter.  With  a 
voice  still  strong  and  musical  he  addresses 
the  assembly  for  twenty  or  more  minutes. 
The  man  who  preaches  to  a  larger  con- 
gregation than  any  other  in  London  once 
said  that  when  he  saw  the  veteran  Moffat 
he  felt  inclined  to  sink  into  his  shoes.  Yet 
Robert  Moffat  was  nothing  but  a  mis- 
sionary ! 

TONE    AND    SPIRIT. 

Not  only  was  that  conference  more  nearly 
ecumenical  than  any  of  the  kind  that  pre- 
ceded ;  it  was  catholic  in  spirit.  No  jarring 
occurred.  Scarcely  anything  discordant 
was  introduced.  The  reality  and  depth  of 
unity  were  all  the  more  evident  because 
so  little  was  said  about  it.  Almost  no 
professions  of  brotherly  feeling  were  made. 
There  was  little  thought  about  ecclesiasti- 
cal   or   other   differences,  because    all  were 


366  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix, 

too  intent  upon  the  main  object  of  the 
gathering  to  waste  time  on  non-essentials. 
There  is  nothing  Hke  the  elevating  power 
of  a  high  aim  to  tone  up  individual  mind, 
or  the  collective  mind  of  an  audience.  And 
is  there  any  conceivable  enterprise  so  grand 
as  that  of  giving  the  gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  all  mankind?  There  was 
no  laudation  of  man.  Self-complacency- 
does  not  thrive  in  such  an  atmosphere. 
Men,  whether  missionaries  or  not,  who 
have  given  themselves  to  any  department 
of  Christian  philanthropy,  take  on  a  pecu- 
liar type  of  character,  just  as  wines  get 
mellowed  and  peculiarly  flavored  by  being 
sent  on  distant  voyages.  Of  course  secta- 
rian arrogance  received  a  silent  rebuke, 
as  it  once  received  an  outspoken  rebuke, 
for  the  disciples  had  not  drunk  very  deep 
into  the  spirit  of  the  kingdom  when  they 
said,  "  Master,  we  saw  one  casting  out 
devils  in  thy  name,  and  wc  forbade  him 
because  he  followeth  not  us."  But  Jesus 
said,    "  Forbid    him  not."     Among  the  use- 


LECT.  IX.]  INFELICITIES.  367 

ful  lessons  impressed  upon  all  at  the  con- 
ference is  this  —  no  one  society,  no  one 
denomination,  has  a  monopoly  of  zeal,  wis- 
dom, or  success.  Each  is  doing  the  Lord  s 
work  in  its  own  way,  and  is  entitled  to 
respect ;  to  each  may  all  bid  God-speed. 

INFELICITIES. 

The  Mildmay  Park  Conference  was  not 
without  its  drawbacks.  The  range  of  invi- 
tation and  recognition  was  too  limited. 
Scarcely  an  allusion  occurred  during  the 
week  to  one  of  the  oldest  modern  evangel- 
istic movements  into  the  domain  of  hea- 
thenism, that  of  the  Moravian  Brethren,  who 
a  century  and  a  half  ago  were  in  the  van  of 
that  army  which  has  now  swelled  to  such 
proportions,  and  who  have  planted  their 
Christian  colonies  in  Greenland,  Labrador, 
the  West  India  Islands,  tropical  South 
America,  South  Africa,  Australia,  and  Thi- 
bet. No  mention  whatever  was  made  of 
the  Danish,  Swedish,  and  other  Scandina- 
vian   societies;    nor  —  with    a   solitary   ex- 


368  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

ception — to  the  five  or  more  societies  in 
Holland.  The  efficient  Basle  Society,  dat- 
ing from  1816,  occupied  but  little  time. 
Some  of  the  minor  English  societies  re- 
ceived almost  no  mention.  The  same  was 
true  as  regards  the  American  Presbyterians, 
North  and  South;  the  Methodists,  North 
and  South  ;  Episcopalians,  Free-Will  Bap- 
tists and  others  in  the  United  States.  That 
the  High  Church  institutions  such  as  the 
Leipzig  and  Hermannsburg  societies,  and 
the  English  Society  for  Propagating  the 
Gospel,  should  decline  representation,  har- 
monizes with  their  general  bearing  and 
antecedents. 

The  gentlemen  who  had  in  charge  the 
calling  and  planning  of  this  convocation 
should  either  have  done  more  or  have  done 
less.  They  should  not  have  issued  notifi- 
cations to  societies  outside  of  Great  Britain, 
or  else  have  sent  invitations  to  all  such  in 
the  Protestant  world,  requesting  personal 
representation  or  written  contributions. 
As  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 


LBCT.ix.]  PROGRESS    REPORTED.  369 

the  Scottish  Bible  Society,  and  the  London 
Religious  Tract  Society,  were  invited,  so 
should  it  have  been  with  similar  bodies 
in  other  lands.  The  only  institutions  of 
the  United  States  represented  were  the 
American  Missionary  Association,  the  Bap- 
tist Union,  the  Board  of  the  Reformed 
Church,  and  the  American  Board.  It  was 
perhaps  almost  inevitable  that  dispropor- 
tionate space  should  be  allotted  to  some 
operations  quite  restricted  in  their  sphere 
and  importance,  as  for  instance,  schools  in 
Syria  and  Egypt. 

PROGRESS    REPORTED. 

It  is  of  course  impossible  to  condense 
into  a  few  minutes'  space  any  satisfactory 
statement,  at  all  in  detail,  concerning  the 
many  fields  or  results  of  foreign  missionary 
labor  as  then  reported.  Suffice  it  to  say : 
The  American  Board,  the  oldest  institution 
of  the  kind  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  yet 
only  one  of  a  goodly  sisterhood,  gave 
testimony  that  it  had  sent  forth  one  thou- 


370  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix 

sand  six  hundred  and  sixty-nine  men  and 
women,  of  whom  one  third  were  ordained, 
to  engage  in  the  good  work ;  who  had 
reduced  twenty-six  different  languages  to 
writing;  employed  forty-six  languages  in 
their  operations ;  gathered  between  three 
and  four  hundred  churches,  into  which  had 
been  received  about  80,000  communicants. 
English  missionary  societies  of  longer  stand- 
ing, with  larger  incomes  —  one  of  them  a 
million  of  dollars  every  year  —  had  yet 
more  to  say  in  the  same  line.  That  noble 
institution,  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  reported  that  it  received  annually 
more  than  a  million  of  dollars;  had  pub- 
lished the  Holy  Scriptures  in  over  two 
hundred  different  languages ;  that  from  its 
depository  on  Queen  Victoria  Street  there 
went  out  5,000  copies  of  the  whole  or  por- 
tions of  God's  Word  daily,  a  Bible  for  every 
pulse-beat. 

The  Pacific  Islands  sent  word  that  among 
them  were  nearly  70,000  church  members 
Africa   claimed   a   church    membership    of 


LECT.  ix.i  PROGRESS    REPORTED.  37 1 

100,000.  China,  so  exclusive  and  so  inac- 
cessible, gave  answer  that  within  her  bounds 
she  already  found  more  than  four  hundred 
Christian  laborers  from  abroad,  more  than 
three  hundred  churches,  and  more  than 
13,000  church  members.  India  lifted  up 
her  grateful  voice,  proclaiming  that  above 
400,000  have  ceased  to  be  heathens. 

It  became  evident  that  Christian  thought, 
sympathy,  and  effort  were  getting  expanded. 
In  the  early  ages  missionary  work  was  pros- 
ecuted, for  the  most  part,  only  among 
Greeks  and  Romans ;  in  the  middle  ages 
among  Slavonian  and  Germanic  nations ; 
but  there  has  come  to  be  an  aim  and 
movement  toward  all  regions  and  all  na- 
tions. From  various  quarters  of  the  globe 
there  came  testimony  that  Christian  mis- 
sions are  being  prosecuted  on  a  grander 
scale  than  ever  before.  It  appeared  that 
the  operations  of  Evangelical  Protestantism 
in  behalf  of  unevangelized  races  represented 
—  under  the  auspices  of  more  than  eighty 
organizations — a   personal    force    of    over 


372  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

two  thousand  men  and  women  from  Chris- 
tian lands,  aided  by  twenty  thousand  native 
preachers  and  catechists,  having  in  charge 
300,000  church  members,  a  much  larger 
number  of  scholars,  and  beyond  a  million, 
indeed  a  million  and  a  half,  of  attendants 
on  worship. 

Still  better,  it  was  in  evidence  that  Chris- 
tian missions  were  never  more  successful 
than  at  that  time.  While  the  agencies  of 
darkness  were  perhaps  never  so  busy,  it  is 
clear  that  never  before  were  such  facilities 
for  disseminating  the  truth ;  that  never  was 
there  so  much  to  animate  the  hopes,  the 
prayers,  the  efforts  of  God's  people.  It 
appears  that  in  proportion  to  the  number 
of  laborers,  conversions  are  more  numerous 
on  the  foreign  than  on  home  fields  — 
amono:  Methodist  missions  from  this  coun- 
try,  five  or  six  times  in  excess ;  among 
Presbyterian  missions  from  this  country, 
eight  times  in  excess. 


LHCT.ix.]  SIGNAL   TRIUMPHS.  373 


SIGNAL   TRIUMPHS. 

Nor  at  any  period  since  the  day  when  a 
blaspheming  persecutor  was  arrested  on  his 
way  to  Damascus,  had  there  been  more 
signal  instances  of  triumphant  grace  than 
might  be  found  in  the  annals  of  current 
evangelization.  There  were,  and  still  are, 
ordained  men  in  the  pulpits  at  the  Fiji 
Islands  who  know  the  taste  of  human  flesh, 
so  recent  has  been  the  introduction  of 
Christianity.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor,  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  laboring  in 
New  Zealand,  once  invited  native  converts 
to  a  communion  service.  When  they 
came  forward,  one  man  started  suddenly 
backward  and  for  a  few  minutes  remained 
in  the  rear  of  the  church.  At  the  moment 
of  kneeling  he  had  discovered  the  man  who, 
in  the  days  of  heathenism,  murdered  this 
communicant's  father,  drank  his  blood,  and 
on  whom  he  had  vowed  vengeance  if  ever 
they  met.     He  had  not  heard  of  his  enemy's 


374  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

conversion,  and  this  was  the  first  time  of 
their  meeting.  The  words  of  our  Saviour, 
"  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do,"  soon  come  to  his  mind.  He 
returns  to  the  sacred  table,  kneels  beside 
his  father's  murderer,  and  with  him  par- 
takes of  the  memorials  of  Christ's  dying 
love.  Can  older  Christendom  match  that 
with  an  instance  equally  striking.?  Baron 
de  Chantal,  a  French  nobleman  and  noted 
duelist,  left  the  Lord's  table  one  Easter  day, 
that  he  might  act  as  second  to  the  famous 
Count  de  Bouteville. 

Clearer  than  ever  before  did  it  become 
that  the  evangelistic  pioneer  —  go  where 
he  may,  amidst  the  barrenness  of  polar 
regions,  or  tropical  luxuriance,  to  the  fast- 
nesses of  mountaineers,  or  amongst  nomads 
of  the  plain — finds  his  brother  man,  of 
whatever  color,  culture,  or  condition,  a  sin- 
ful creature,  alike  in  the  region  and  shadow 
of  death,  alike  requiring  renovation  by  the 
Word  and  Spirit  of  God;  that  nowhere 
does  he  light  upon  a  human  being  so  high 


LBCT.  IX.]  SIGNAL    TRIUMPHS.  375 

in  excellence  as  not  to  need,  or  so  far  crone 
in  degradation  as  to  be  beyond,  grace  that 
savelh  to  the  uttermost ;  that  Confucianism 
will  never  reform  the  Chinese,  Brahmanism 
the  Hindus,  nor  fetichism  the  Africans ; 
that  no  form  of  heathenism  ever  saved 
one  lost  soul ;  that  Mohammedanism  can- 
not do  it ;  that  civilization  cannot  do  it ; 
that  the  glorious  gospel  alone  will  do  it. 
Christianity  is  for  all  men,  and  for  ail  on 
the  same  terms.  That  stone  which  spec- 
ulating builders  set  at  naught  is  become 
the  head  of  the  corner.  "  Neither  is  there 
salvation  in  any  other;  for  there  is  none 
other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men 
whereby  we  must  be  saved." 

"  Nothing  but  powder  and  ball,"  said  a 
European  officer,  "can  civilize  these  sav- 
ages ; "  yet  those  tribes  to  which  he  referred 
have  since  been  civilized,  and  what  is  more, 
have  been  Christianized  by  missionary  labor. 
'^  Nothing  but  powder  and  bah,"  say  some 
of  our  military  men,  "  will  do  for  the  Indian 
tribes  of  this  country."    Yet,  chiefly  through 


376  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  ix. 

missionary  endeavor,  have  Senecas,  and 
Choctaws,  and  Chickasaws,  and  Cherokees, 
and  Osages  been  civilized,  and  in  good 
measure  Christianized  too.  Is  anything 
too  hard  for  the  Lord,  or  for  his  mighty 
word  of  truth  ?  No,  not  even  the  heathen- 
ism of  such  fighting  Christians. 


LECTURE    X. 

MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES, 

(CONTINUED.) 


MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES. 

(CONTINUED.) 
LONDON    CONFERENCE,    1 888. 

A  DECADE,  though  an  arbitrary  group  of 
years,  is  a  natural  and  convenient  period  for 
the  review  of  current  events.  That  interval 
between  missionary  conferences  in  the  Orient 
has  suggested  the  same  interval  in  Europe. 
The  widening  extent,  the  growing  complica- 
tions, and  fresh  problems  of  foreign  evangel- 
istic movements,  could  not  fail  to  suggest 
another  ecumenical  gathering  as  the  ten 
years  following  that  of  1878  passed  on.  At 
the  monthly  meeting  of  secretaries  of  lead- 
ing societies  which  have  their  administrative 
seats  in  London  the  subject  was  discussed 
and  measures  were  put  in  train.  Pursuant 
to  an  invitation  emanating  from  that  source, 
and  by  appointment  of  nearly  all  missionary 

(379) 


380  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

societies  of  the  United  Kingdom,  delegates 
met  in  January,  1887,  at  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society's  House,  and  com- 
pleted an  organization  of  committees  which 
should  make  preliminary  arrangements,  and 
have  direction  of  proceedings  in  a  general 
conference  to  be  held  the  next  year  (1888). 
No  place  in  the  world  is  more  appropriate 
for  such  a  convocation  than  London — the 
chief  town  of  the  only  empire,  ancient  or 
modern,  on  which  the  sun  never  sets.  Of 
its  population,  amounting  to  about  four  mil- 
lion, one  third  were  born  outside  of  its  limits. 
Europe  at  large,  Africa,  Asia  and  America, 
are  represented  in  the  vast  multitude  residing 
there.  As  a  port  of  entry  it  was  not  without 
importance  even  in  the  Roman  period,  for 
early  in  the  eighth  century  Bede  speaks  of 
London  as  the  "  mart  of  many  nations  re- 
sorting to  it  by  sea  and  land."  What  would 
the  venerable  historian  think  could  he  now 
witness  the  annual  entry  of  over  thirty-six 
thousand  vessels  .^^  In  money  exchanges  it 
is  the  metropolis  of  the  world,  and  is  more 


LECT.x.]  DESCRIPTION    INADEQUATE.  38 1 

truly  cosmopolitan  than  any  other  city  on 
earth  —  its  financial,  commercial,  and  politi- 
cal influences  pulsating  throughout  a  large 
part  of  the  human  race.  There,  too,  the 
largest  missionar}^  societies  of  the  world  have 
their  centers. 

DESCRIPTION    INADEQUATE. 

One  seldom  undertakes  a  more  difficult 
task  than  to  describe  a  meeting  numerously 
attended,  multifarious,  and  prolonged.  To 
reproduce  in  a  brief  compass  a  ten  days' 
meeting,  with  its  more  than  two-score  ses- 
sions, is  simply  impracticable.  When  the 
nobles  and  princes  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  provinces,  from  India  to  Ethi- 
opia, went  home  after  the  seven  days'  feast 
which  Ahasuerus  made  for  them,  could  they 
give  the  people  any  satisfactory  idea  how  the 
rich  viands  tasted  in  Shushan,  the  palace  ? 
Atmosphere,  perfumes,  and  flavors,  pathos 
and  enthusiasm,  have  never  been  photo- 
graphed. 

The    London    Missionary  Conference    in 


382  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lkct.  x. 

1888  took  place  from  the  9th  to  the  20th  of 
June,  the  two  Sabbaths  and  Saturdays  ex- 
cepted. There  were  usually  five  sessions 
daily,  two  or  more  at  times  being  held  simul- 
taneously in  different  halls.  No  one  soldier 
or  officer  ever  witnessed  an  entire  great  bat- 
tle, so  wide  is  the  field  of  action,  so  rapid  and 
complex  are  the  movements.  Not  less  im- 
possible was  it  for  any  one  man  to  take  in, 
as  the  days  passed  on,  all  the  topics,  all  the 
essays  and  discussions  of  the  conference. 
Only  a  plain  statement  of  certain  facts  and 
impressions  will  now  be  attempted. 

It  was  the  largest  gathering  of  the  kind 
that  has  ever  been  held.  That  of  1878  at 
Mildmay  Park,  London,  however,  is  the  only 
one  with  which  properly  a  comparison  should 
be  made,  for  it  was  the  first  General  Confer- 
ence;  the  first  at  which  were  present  dele- 
srates  from  other  bodies  than  those  related 
to  one  another  nationally  —  as  in  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland;  or  geographically  —  as 
in  India,  China,  and  Japan.  That  confer- 
ence, the  one  ten  years  since,  assembled  in  a 


LBCT.x.]  DESCRIPTION    INADEQUATE.  383 

hall  smaller  than  Exeter  Hall,  and  was  in 
no  instance  filled.  At  this  later  gathering 
there  were  nearly  sixteen  hundred  delegates 
against  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  in 
Mildmay  Park,  representing  one  hundred 
and  forty  societies  against  thirty-four  in 
1878;  some  of  these,  a  dozen  at  least,  as 
Bible,  tract  and  other  societies  being  coop- 
erative institutions.  A  large  number  outside 
of  the  delegations  were  in  attendance,  so 
that  even  at  the  opening  session,  the  great 
hall,  which  has  a  seating  capacity  of  perhaps 
four  thousand,  was  well  filled. 

Different  in  composition  and  aim  as  were 
the  famous  ecclesiastical  councils  of  former 
days,  it  is  not  unnatural  that  they  should 
come  to  mind  in  this  connection.  Casting 
an  eye  at  the  first  group  of  ecumenical  coun- 
cils, eight  in  number  (A.  D.  325-869),  sum- 
moned by  emperors,  we  find  at  that  of  Nicaea 
three  hundred  and  eighteen  bishops,  and 
at  that  of  Chalcedon  five  or  six  hundred 
bishops.  Greek  was  the  language  used.  A 
similar  glance  at  the  larger  group  of  such 


384  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x 

assemblies  in  the  Western  Church  (A.  D. 
869-1311),  summoned  by  popes,  Latin  being 
used,  we  count  at  the  second  (A.  D.  11 39) 
about  one  thousand  ecclesiastics,  and  at  the 
fourth  (A.  D.  1215)  over  twelve  hundred,  the 
largest  number  ever  thus  convened.  The 
next  month  following  this  London  Mission- 
ary Conference  came  a  conference  of  bish- 
ops at  Lambeth  Palace,  who  assembled  from 
quarters  widely  remote,  and  numbered  one 
hundred  and  forty-five. 

Regarding  the  composition  of  the  confer- 
ence I  am  to  speak  chiefly  of  delegates  and 
those  constituting  the  body ;  not  of  outside 
though  interested  spectators. 

NOTICEABLE    VARIETY. 

From  this  side  the  Atlantic,  the  United 
States  and  Canada,  there  were  numerous 
friends  —  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine  from 
the  former  and  thirty  from  the  latter  — 
representing  together  fifty-seven  societies. 
Forty- one  of  the  continental  societies  were 
represented.       Holland     sent      her     quota. 


LHCT.x.]  NOTICEABLE    VARIETY.  385 

There  were  friends  from  the  land  of  Cal- 
vin and  the  Huguenots;  friends  from  the 
land  of  Zwingle  and  Farel  ;  blue-eyed  men 
from  the  banks  of  the  Rhine ;  the  Scandi- 
navian with  his  sturdy  enterprise,  inherited 
from  roving  vikings ;  the  Moravian  with  his 
alacrity  for  finding  out  the  least  attractive 
nooks  of  our  globe;  Englishmen  and  Scotch- 
men in  full  force,  besides  a  sprinkling  of  the 
Irish  —  between  thirteen  and  fourteen  hun- 
dred from  Great  Britain,  and  representing 
fifty-three  societies.  Dark-skinned  Africans 
were  there.  Many  islands,  all  the  continents 
—  and  Australia  is  virtually  a  continent  — 
nearly  all  latitudes  and  nearly  all  Protestant 
denominations  and  foreign  missionary  or- 
ganizations, were  represented.  The  Salva- 
tion Army  did  not  accept  the  invitation,  nor 
did  the  High  Church  Lutheran  Society  at 
Leipzig,  the  Hermannsburg  Society,  the  So- 
ciety for  Propagating  the  Gospel,  the  Society 
for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  with 
some  smaller  dependencies  or  affiliations  in 
ritualistic    narrowness.     Nevertheless,  more 


386  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

than  nine  tenths  of  all  that  is  contributed 
toward  the  foreign  propagation  of  evangel- 
ical Christianity  was  represented  in  the  con- 
ference. The  English-speaking  race  fur- 
nishes more  than  ten  times  the  income  of 
other  such  institutions  in  Protestant  Chris- 
tendom. Foreign  evangelistic  work  is  now 
chiefly  in  the  hands  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
family  of  nations,  which  in  modern  times  is 
the  family  of  enterprise,  the  family  that  colo- 
nizes. Among  Latin  races  Romanism  has 
brought  about  degeneracy.  The  English 
language  was  the  only  one  employed  in  the 
proceedings  of  this  conference,  yet  there 
were  present  men  and  women  whose  ver- 
naculars and  whose  acquired  languages  are 
very  unlike  and  very  numerous. 

TALENT    AND    POSITION. 

On  the  score  of  ability  and  position  the 
conference  was  eminently  respectable. 
Among  the  delegates  and  those  who  took 
part  in  the  proceedings  there  were  distin- 
guished gentlemen  of  the  medical  profession, 


LECT.x.]  TALENT    AND    POSITION.  387 

as  Dr.  Pringle,  of  the  Bengal  army,  Dr. 
Lowe,  father  and  founder  of  medical  mis- 
sions. Sir  Risdon  Bennett,  F.  R.  S.,  and  Dr. 
Leveson  G.  Gunn  of  Dublin,  surgeon-gen- 
eral. Well-known  men  connected  w^ith  edu- 
cational institutions :  from  our  country,  Pro- 
fessor Welch  of  Auburn,  Professor  Aiken  of 
Princeton,  and  Dr.  Schaff  of  New  York; 
from  Canada,  Rev.  William  MacLaren,  D.D., 
professor  in  Knox  College,  Toronto,  Princi- 
pal MacVicar  of  Montreal ;  from  Switzer- 
land, Professor  Bertrand;  from  Scotland, 
Professor  Robertson  of  the  University,  and 
Dr.  James  Brown,  principal  of  the  Free 
Church  College,  Aberdeen  ;  Professor  Henry 
Drummond  of  the  University,  and  Professor 
Lindsay  of  the  Free  Church  College,  Glas- 
gow; Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Smith,  Professor 
Charteris,  Professor  Blaikie  and  Principal 
Cairns  of  Edinburgh;  from  England,  Profes- 
sor Angus  of  Regent's  Park  College,  London, 
Dr.  Matthews  of  the  Presbyterian  College, 
London,  Rev.  T.  W.  Drury,  principal  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society's  College,  Isling- 


388  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x 

ton,  Professor  McAllister  of  Cambridge  Uni- 
versity, and  Sir  Monier  Monier-Williams, 
Professor  of  Sanskrit  at  Oxford.  Of  the 
gentlemen  whose  names  have  just  been  men- 
tioned many  are  writers  of  acknowledged 
eminence.  Others  besides  them  may  be 
mentioned :  Provost  Vahl  of  Denmark,  Dr. 
Grundemann  of  Germany,  Dr.  J.  Murray 
Mitchell  of  Scotland,  Drs.  Cust  and  Stough- 
ton.  Sir  William  Hunter  of  England,  and 
Mrs.  Bishop,  formerly  Miss  Isabella  Bird, 
who  wrote  Unbeaten  Tracks  in  ^apan, 
and  other  works.  Conspicuous  clergymen, 
such  as  Dr.  Pierson,  Dr.  A.  J.  Gordon  and 
Dr.  G.  D.  Boardman,  Drs.  Noble  and  Wil- 
liam M.  Taylor  and  Dr.  Talbot  W.  Cham- 
bers, from  the  United  States;  Drs.  Mathews 
and  Parsons  from  Canada,  Dr.  Oswald 
Dykes  and  Rev.  W.  H.  Webb-Peploe  of 
London,  and  Rev.  Cavaliere  de  Prochet  of 
the  Waldensian  Church. 

Missionaries  of  note :  Principal  William 
Miller,  LL.  D.,  of  Madras,  Dr.  Bruce  of  Per- 
sia, Dr.  Post  of  Syria,  Dr.  Baedeker  of  Rus- 


LECT.x]  TALENT    AND    POSITION.  389 

sia,  Rev.  W.  S.  Swansea  of  the  Presbyterian 
Mission  at  Amoy,  Rev.  John  Mackenzie 
of  South  Africa,  Bishop  Crowther  of  West 
Africa,  Rev.  S.  Macfarlane,  LL.  D.,  from 
New  Guinea,  and  Rev.  G.  Turner,  LL.  D., 
from  Samoa.  Able  missionary  administra- 
tors: Drs.  Judson  Smith  and  Murdock  of 
Boston,  Drs.  Ellin  wood,  Langford,  W.  J.  R. 
Taylor  and  Gilman  of  New  York,  Dr.  Ellis 
of  Baltimore,  Dr.  Alexander  Sutherland  of 
Canada,  Rev.  L.  Dahle  of  the  Norweo^ian 
Society,  Rev.  F.  Lion  Cachet  of  the  Dutch 
Reformed  Society ;  Drs.  Marensky,  Hesse 
and  Schreiber  of  Germany ;  Rev.  A.  Boeg- 
ner,  Secretary  of  the  Paris  Missionary  So- 
ciety ;  Rev.  W.  Stevenson,  and  Drs.  Bu- 
chanan and  George  Smith,  of  Edinburgh; 
Rev.  Benjamin  LaTrobe,  James  L.  Maxwell, 
M.  D.,  Henry  Grattan  Guinness,  J.  Hudson 
Taylor,  C.  C.  Fenn,  Drs.  Underbill  and 
Wardlaw  Thompson,  of  London. 


390  MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES.  [lbct  x 


RANK    AND   TITLES. 

These  are  matters  regarding  which  Ameri- 
cans are  less  mindful  than  Europeans.  All 
ministers  of  the  Word  who  were  there  are 
bishops  in  the  New  Testament  sense  of  the 
term ;  but  some  of  them  bear  popularly  cer- 
tain ecclesiastical  titles.  Of  prebends  there 
were  two ;  of  canons,  five ;  one  Very  Rev. 
dean ;  of  venerable  archdeacons,  three ;  of 
right  reverend  bishops,  a  dozen  —  most  of 
whom  were  from  parts  widely  remote.  Note- 
worthy among  them  were  Dr.  Crowther  of 
the  Niger  Valley,  Dr.  Sargent,  who  has  ren- 
dered fifty  years  of  service  in  India,  and  Dr. 
Bickers teth,  who  belongs  to  a  family  so  well 
known  in  the  religious  and  missionary  world. 
Not  less  than  a  score  of  delegates  bore  the 
honorary  title  of  Doctor  of  Laws ;  between 
one  and  two  hundred,  that  of  Doctor  of  Di- 
vinity. The  census  included  two  admirals ; 
while  from  the  army  there  were  colonels, 
lieutenant-colonels,  generals,  major-generals 


1.KCT.X.]  RANK    AND    TITLES.  39 1 

and  lieutenant-generals,  about  a  score ;  thlr- 
teen  members  of  Parliament,  one  of  whom, 
Sir  John  H.  Kennaway,  is  President  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society.  Other  titled 
civiHans  —  Count  van  Limburg  Stirum  from 
Holland,  Sir  J.  P.  Corry,  Sir  Robert  Fowler, 
Sir  Arthur  Blackwood,  Sir  Rivers  Thomp- 
son, General  Sir  Robert  Phayre,  who  had  seen 
thirty  years'  service  in  India,  Lord  Provost 
Henderson  of  Aberdeen,  and  Sir  Thomas 
Fovv'ell  Buxton,  grandson  of  the  celebrated 
philanthropist  v/ho  bore  the  same  name.  Of 
the  English  nobility  there  were  Lord  Kin- 
naird;  Lord  Radstock,  well  known  for  his 
evangelistic  labors ;  the  Earl  of  Northbrooke, 
President  of  the  Christian  Vernacular  Edu- 
cation Society ;  the  Earl  of  Harrowby,  Presi- 
dent of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Soci- 
ety ;  and  the  Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of  Aber- 
deen, late  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland  and 
President  of  the  conference.  At  one  session 
enough  peers  of  the  realm  sat  in  a  row  to 
form  a  quorum  of  the  upper  house  of  Par- 
liament; but  then  it  requires  only  three  to 


392  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lbct.x. 

make  a  quorum  of  that  body.  The  eye  will 
be  attracted  to  men  noteworthy  for  race  or 
personal  history.  Do  you  ask,  Who  is  that 
man  of  full-blooded  African  origin  that 
speaks  at  several  sessions  ?  It  is  the  Rev. 
J.  A.  Taylor,  of  the  Colored  Baptist  Mission- 
ary Society,  who  was  for  the  first  twenty- 
four  years  of  his  life  a  slave  in  one  of  our 
Southern  States.  And  who  is  that  other  black 
man  ?  That  is  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Crow- 
ther,  fourscore  years  old,  as  dark-skinned  as 
any  man  ever  born  in  tropical  Africa,  who 
in  boyhood  was  seized  by  a  gang  of  Moham- 
medan slave  dealers;  was  sold  first  for  a 
horse,  but  returned  as  an  unfair  exchange ; 
afterwards  was  twice  bartered  for  rum  and 
tobacco ;  became  so  broken-hearted  that  he 
tried  to  commit  suicide ;  was  rescued  from  a 
slaver  by  the  British  ship  "  Myrmidon ;  "  was 
educated  at  the  Church  Missionary  Society's 
institution ;  was  ordained  forty-five  years 
ago ;  labored  fourteen  years  in  Abeokuta ; 
then  founded  a  mission  in  the  Niger  country, 
which  is  carried  on  exclusively  by  the  aid  of 


LECT.x.]  FEMALE    MEMBERS.  393 

native  African  clergymen,  among  whom  is 
Archdeacon  Henry  Johnson,  a  pure  negro, 
an  accomplished  scholar  and  gentleman.  In 
1864  Mr.  Crowther  was  consecrated  bishop. 
After  a  separation  of  twenty-five  years  his 
heathen  relatives  received  from  him  their 
first  knowledge  of  Christian  truth ;  and  at 
length  he  found  his  own  mother,  who  finally 
died  In  her  son's  Episcopal  palace  on  the 
banks  of  the  Niger.  Did  the  last  novel  that 
you  read  contain  Incidents  more  romantic 
than  those  ? 

FEMALE    MEMBERS. 

At  the  initial  conference  after  Christ's  as- 
cension "  there  were  women,  and  Mary,  the 
mother  of  Jesus."  At  this  London  Confer- 
ence there  were  women,  many  women  and 
capable  women,  who  approved  themselves  as 
far  more  worthy  of  membership  than  the 
abbesses  who  were  sometimes  present  in 
the  ecclesiastical  councils  of  England  before 
the  period  of  Reformation.  Nor  did  they 
simply  sit  as  silent  spectators    or   constitu- 


394  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

ents.  Well-considered  papers  were  read  by 
Miss  Child,  of  our  Woman's  Board  ;  hy  Miss 
Rainy,  of  Scotland,  a  sister  of  Principal 
Rainy;  and  by  Miss  Dr.  Marston,  of  North 
India.  Several  ladies  also  shared  in  the 
discussion  that  followed,  the  subject  being 
"  Woman's  Work  in  the  Mission  Field."  On 
the  evening  of  the  next  day,  when  the  kin- 
dred topic,  "  Woman's  Mission  to  Women," 
was  under  consideration  in  the  large  hall, 
two  or  three  ladies  spoke  at  the  close.  Mrs. 
Nind,  of  the  Methodist  Church  in  Minne- 
apolis, addressed  the  conference  several 
times,  and  on  the  last  day  read  a  memorial 
to  be  addressed  to  the  English  and  Ameri- 
can orovernments  bv  the  World's  Woman's 
Christian  Temperance  Union.  At  another 
time  Miss  De  Broen  gave  an  account  of  her 
work  in  Paris,  and  Mrs.  Armstrong,  from 
the  Baptist  mission  to  the  Karens,  narrated 
in  an  interesting  manner  some  of  the  results 
of  evangelization  among  that  people.  But 
it  is  not  necessary  to  name  yet  other  ladies 
who   took  part  actively  in  the  proceedings. 


LECT.x.i  FEMALE    MEMBERS.  395 

Sunday  afternoon,  June  17,  there  was  a 
meeting  in  the  large  hall,  specially  for  young 
women.  The  Countess  of  Aberdeen  pre- 
sided, and  in  her  introductory  remarks  spoke 
of  visits  with  her  husband,  the  Earl,  to  mis- 
sion stations  in  India.  The  meeting  was 
addressed  by  four  American  ladies  —  Mrs. 
Moses  Smith  of  Detroit,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Gordon 
of  Boston,  Miss  Carter  of  New  York,  and 
Mrs.  Quinton  of  Philadelphia.  At  several 
of  the  public  meetings  when  the  Earl  pre- 
sided. Lady  Aberdeen  sat  beside  him  —  a 
circumstance  as  pleasing  as  it  is  unusual. 
It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  women  con- 
stitute two  thirds  of  the  membership  of 
Christian  churches  in  all  lands;  that  there 
are  numerous  societies  —  indeed,  one  fourth 
of  those  represented  in  the  conference  —  or- 
ganized for  woman's  work  in  the  foreign 
field,  with  an  annual  incom.e  of  something 
like  one  and  a  quarter  million  of  dollars ; 
and  that  of  the  more  than  seven  thousand 
missionaries,  one  third  are  women. 

Here,  then,  were  the  most  important  con- 


396  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x 

stituents  that  could  be  desired  in  such  a 
convocation  —  missionaries  and  mission  di- 
rectors, who  are  experts ;  visitors  of  mis- 
sions ;  gentlemen  and  ladies  who  without 
personal  experience  or  observation  have  writ- 
ten on  missionary  subjects,  and  who  may  be 
called  semi-experts ;  besides  a  large  group 
of  generous  contributors  and  other  intelli- 
gent and  influential  friends  outside  of  these 
classes.  True,  there  were  noticeable  ab- 
sences. I  have  already  spoken  of  missionary 
societies  which  were  not  represented,  to 
which  might  be  added  the  Gossner,  the  Breck- 
lum,  and  some  other  societies  on  the  Conti- 
nent of  Europe,  as  well  as  some  on  this 
Western  Continent.  Yet  of  the  eleven  mil- 
lion of  dollars  now  contributed  annually  to 
Protestant  foreign  missions,  over  ten  million 
form  the  income  of  societies  represented  on 
that  occasion.  It  might  reasonably  have 
been  expected  that  Nonconformist  ministers 
and  clergymen  of  the  Establishment,  in  Lon- 
don and  vicinity  at  least,  would  be  present 
in  full  force,  but  they  were  not.     Telegrams, 


LHCT.x.J  FEMALE    MEMBERS  397 

however,  expressing  interest,  were  received 
from  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and 
several  prominent  gentlemen,  as  well  as  let- 
ters of  salutation  and  sympathy  from  Scan- 
dinavian countries,  from  South  Africa,  and 
other  remote  regions. 

It  may  be  mentioned  that  two  if  not  more 
who  attended  the  Liverpool  Conference  in 
i860  were  among  the  delegates  —  Rev.  John 
Fordyce,  and  R.  A.  Macfie,  Esq.,  who  was 
then  one  of  the  Executive  Committee.  More 
than  a  score  of  delegates  were  also  members 
of  the  former  conference  in  London.  But 
during  the  ten  years  that  intervened  some  of 
the  men  who  were  prominent  on  that  occa- 
sion had  ceased  from  their  labors.  Among 
the  starred  names  are  Rev.  M.  A.  Sherring, 
LL.  B.,  a  valued  missionary,  and  another  the 
venerable  Dr.  Robert  Moffat,  who  at  eighty- 
seven  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  (1883)';  Rev. 
Henry  Wright,  Secretary  of  the  Church  Mis- 


^  Lives  of  Robert  and  Mary  Moffat.     By  John  S.  Moffat.     Lon- 
don, 1S86. 


39^  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x 

sionary  Society;  Dr.  W.  Morley  Punshon, 
Secretary  of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Soci- 
ety, and  a  platform  orator  of  power;  Dr. 
Joseph  Mullens,  Secretary  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  whose  remains  in  the 
Dark  Continent  await  the  resurrection  morn- 
ing; Rev.  W.  Fleming  Stevenson,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Irish  Presbyterian  Mission,  able, 
ardent,  and  widely  known ;  and  the  Right 
Hon.  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  a  prince  among 
philanthropists  and  Christian  statesmen, 
whose  Life  and  Work,  detailed  in  three 
volumes,  is  now  before  the  public' 

THE    AMERICAN    DELEGATION. 

An  inquiry  will  arise,  not  unnaturally,  re- 
garding the  relative  competency  of  delegates 
from  the  United  States  as  compared  with 
the  European.  It  would  be  invidious  for  me 
to  institute  a  comparison;  and  in  listening 
to  English  testimony,  we  would  not  forget 
that  all  from  outside  of  Great  Britain  were 


*  The  Life  and  Work  of  the  Seventh  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  K.G. 
By  Edwhi  H odder.     3  vols.     London,  1S86. 


LEcr.  x]  THE    AMERICAN    DELEGATION.  399 

guests,  and  that  the  bias  of  a  noble  hospital- 
ity may  somewhat  have  colored  the  utter- 
ances of  our  friends  in  London.  I  give  two 
or  three  citations. 

The  Church  Missionary  Intelligencer  re- 
marks :  "  The  presence  of  many  American 
delegates,  able  and  interesting  men  and 
women,  has  been  the  most  satisfactory  fea- 
ture of  the  conference."  Another  writer 
says:  "The  American  representatives,  in 
particular,  were  able  and  cultivated  men, 
whom  it  was  a  privilege  and  honor  to  meet." 
And  yet  another:  "Nothing  could  exceed 
the  sweet  courteousness  of  our  American 
visitors,  men  of  noble  and  distinguished 
bearing,  men  of  power  and  eloquence,  m.en 
whom  it  is  an  honor  to  claim  as  friends,  and 
whose  words  will  live  in  the  recollection  of 
those  who  heard  them." 

Individual  Americans  are  spoken  of  in 
terms  of  marked  commendation.  At  one  of 
the  lower  hall  meetino-s  on  the  evenins^  of 
Tuesday,  June  12,  Dr.  Post,  from  Syria — I 
now  quote :    "  Who  had  already  delivered  a 


400  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

most  effective  address  on  medical  missions 
in  the  large  hall  —  then  came  here  and  made 
the  best  speech  of  the  evening."  At  a  later 
meeting :  "  Dr.  William  M.  Taylor's  speech 
was  an  admirable  one,  not  only  delivered 
with  great  energy,  but  containing  substan- 
tial thought  and  most  happy  illustrations." 
"  A  mere  summary  can  convey  no  idea  of 
the  force  and  finish  of  his  address.  Dr.  A. 
J.  Gordon  was  almost  equally  good."  At  an- 
other meeting  the  same  day :  "  The  discus- 
sion was  opened  by  a  grand  paper,  which 
will  probably  rank  as  one  of  the  best  of  the 
conference,  by  Dr.  A.  T.  Pierson,  of  Phila- 
delphia." In  the  large  hall,  of  an  afternoon  : 
"  The  Rev.  Dr.  Judson  Smxith,  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board,  gave  one  of  those  stirring  and 
forceful  speeches  to  which  it  is  a  real  treat 
to  listen.  His  opening  sentence  riveted  all 
attention,  and  he  never  let  it  flag:  '  It  is  a 
mark  of  Christianity  to  attempt  the  impossi- 
ble, and,  through  God's  blessing,  gloriously 
to  achieve  the  same.'  Then,  with  a  master's 
hand,  he  sketched  the  appalling  difficulties 


LHCT.x.]  METHODS    OF    PROCEEDING.  4OI 

of  the  little  apostolic  band,  who,  in  their 
Saviour's  name  and  Saviour's  strength,  faced 
the  attack  of  the  heathen  world,  and  showed 
the  symbol  of  the  cross  triumphant  in  the 
reign  of  Constantine."  In  regard  to  fare- 
well addresses  at  the  closing  session,  it  is 
remarked :  "  Dr.  Ellinwood,  of  New  York,  is 
a  man  of  wonderful  power,  and  his  speech 
was  magnificent.  He  is  a  man  of  great  re- 
finement as  well  as  eloquence."  These  are 
not  the  hasty  utterances  of  reporters  for  the 
daily  press,  but  the  deliberate  opinions  of 
eminently  competent  gentlemen,  given  over 
their  own  signatures.'  And  it  may  be  added 
that  no  higher  encomiums  were  paid  to  any 
who  took  part  in  the  proceedings. 

METHODS    OF    PROCEEDING. 

The  first  meeting,  on  Saturday  evening, 
June  9,  was  salutatory.  The  Earl  of  Aber- 
deen  and  the  committee   which   called  the 


^  Supplement  to  the  July  number  of  the  Church  Missionary  In- 
telligencer. 


402  MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES.  [lhct.  x. 

conference  received  the  delegates.  The 
large  hall  was  amply  supplied  with  flowers 
and  flowering  shrubs,  almost  as  varied  in 
native  habitat  as  the  homes  of  guests  who 
were  welcomed.  Devotional  exercises,  with 
singing  led  by  evangelistic  choirs  of  Lon- 
don, followed  the  presentation  of  guests. 
Then  came  statements  rehearsing  the  rise, 
progress,  and  scope  of  such  conferences ; 
the  President's  address  of  greeting,  to  which 
there  were  responses  by  gentlemen  repre- 
senting British,  American,  and  Continental 
constituents. 

The  Monday  following  there  began  meet- 
ings of  three  kinds :  First,  those  in  the  large 
hall,  open  to  the  public,  and  not  differing 
materially  from  anniversary  or  other  popular 
missionary  gatherings.  Of  these  there  were 
five  or  six,  and  whenever  the  Earl  of  Aber- 
deen took  the  chair,  it  was  at  these.  Then 
there  were  open  conferences,  eleven  in  num- 
ber, for  discussion,  and  also  private  confer- 
ences for  members  only  —  three  of  them 
daily  —  which  for  the  most  part  were  held  in 


LBCT.  X.]  METHODS    OF    PROCEEDING.  403 

smaller  apartments.  In  the  last  of  these 
there  was  greater  freedom  of  debate,  and  the 
discussions  were  not  reported  in  the  daily  or 
other  journals.  Except  at  the  public  meet- 
ings there  was  a  different  gentleman  in  the 
chair  day  after  day  and  session  after  session. 
The  opening  addresses  of  these  presiding 
officers  were  sometimes  of  needless  length, 
and  needless  repetitions  in  the  line  of  wel- 
come and  in  defining  the  objects  and  charac- 
ter of  the  conference.  That  had  been  done 
sufficiently  at  the  outset.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  the  public  meetings,  two  or  more 
papers  were  read,  limited  to  twenty  minutes 
each  —  at  least  in  the  portions  communicated 
—  and  these  were  followed  by  addresses 
limited  to  ten  minutes  or  five  minutes  each, 
according  as  were  the  number  of  cards  sent 
up  to  the  chairman  by  persons  wishing  to 
take  part  in  the  discussion.  These  varied 
from  half  a  dozen  to  a  dozen  or  more.  Im- 
partiality in  the  chair,  promptness  on  the 
part  of  speakers,  and  good  order  prevailed. 
There  was  more  of  real  debate  than  at  any 


404  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

similar  previous  gathering.  Both  written 
essays  and  unwritten  remarks  were,  in  the 
main,  pertinent  to  the  subject  in  hand  and 
of  practical  value.  The  sessions  lasted  in 
nearly  every  case  for  two  hours;  in  some  in- 
stances they  extended  to  three  hours.  The 
whole  number  of  meetings  was  not  far  from 
fifty,  against  eleven  at  the  former  General 
Conference.  The  sessions  originally  pro- 
vided for  having  been  held,  an  extra  meeting 
took  place  on  Wednesday  evening,  June  20. 

TOPICS    DISCUSSED. 

As  the  vast  work  of  foreign  evangelization 
advances  new  problems  multiply  and  old 
problems  take  on  new  phases.  For  well-in- 
formed and  thoughtful  men,  chief  interest 
will  center  upon  fundamental  principles,  the 
more  powerful  obstacles,  and  leading  meth- 
ods. For  the  general  public,  narratives,  in- 
cidents, and  successes  have  greater  interest. 
Examining  the  program  of  subjects  as 
printed  for  the  conference,  we  find  detailed 
something  like  one  hundred  and  fifty  topics, 


LECT.x.]  TOPICS    DISCUSSED.  4O5 

all  of  them  being  of  more  or  less  practical 
moment.  They  may  be  grouped  as  follows. 
Islam,  its  character  and  growth,  came  un- 
der review.  Sir  William  Wilson  Hunter, 
LL.  D.,  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  living 
statisticians  and  fully  competent  to  speak  on 
this  mooted  subject,  presided  at  the  session 
when  that  was  discussed.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Rob- 
ert Bruce,  from  Persia,  Dr.  George  E.  Post, 
of  the  Syrian  Protestant  College,  Beirut,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Schreiber,  of  the  Rhenish  Mission- 
ary Society,  and  others,  contributed  valuable 
information.  Buddhism  and  various  heathen 
systems  were  reviewed  at  an  open  confer- 
ence under  the  able  presidency  of  Sir  Monier 
Monier- Williams,  D.  C,  LL.  D.,  of  Oxford. 
His  standing  in  the  world  of  Oriental 
scholarship  is  well  known,  and  no  paper 
more  able  than  his  was  laid  before  the  con- 
ference at  any  of  its  sessions.  Jainism  re- 
ceived satisfactory  treatment  by  Dr.  Shool- 
bred,  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Mission 
in  Rajputana;  Parseeism  by  Dr.  J.  Murray 
Mitchell,  former  Secretary  of   the   Scottish 


406  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x 

Free  Church  Missions;  and  Hinduism  by  Dr. 
EUinwood,  of  New  York,  Secretary  of  the 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 

Roman  CathoHc  missions  to  the  heathen 
engaged  earnest  attention,  with  the  Right 
Hon.  Lord  Radstock  in  the  chair.  Rev. 
Principal  MacVicar,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  read  a 
vigorous  essay  on  the  subject,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  Dean  Vahl,  of  Denmark,  Dr.  Post, 
Dr.  Mitchell,  and  others. 

To  commerce  in  its  relation  to  Christian 
missions  a  good  deal  of  thought  was  given. 
Rev.  Dr.  Cairns,  principal  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  College,  Edinburgh,  treated  the 
general  features,  while  Dr.  F.  F.  EUinwood 
dealt  especially  with  the  liquor  traffic  in 
Africa,  and  was  followed  by  an  eye-witness. 
Rev.  W.  Allan,  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society.  Rev.  Mr.  Whitehead,  a  Wesleyan 
missionary  from  Canton,  depicted  the  evils 
of  the  opium  trade,  and  his  testimony  was 
sustained  by  numerous  other  witnesses. 

The  chief  fields  of  foreign  evangelism  were 
contemplated  —  Asia,  Eastern,  Central  and 


LBCT.x.]  TOPICS    DISCUSSED.  407 

Western  Africa,  America,  and  Oceanica.  A 
general  survey  preceded  tlip  more  detailed 
consideration  of  particular  lands,  and  in  that 
somewhat  comprehensive  outlook  Lord  Ab- 
erdeen, Prebendary  Edmonds,  Rev.  J.  Hud- 
son Taylor  —  a  name  widely  known  in  con- 
nection with  the  China  inland  mission  —  and 
Dr.  Pierson  took  a  conspicuous  share.  Time 
would  fail  to  give  even  an  outline  of  evan 
gelistic  work  as  portrayed  at  sessions  devoted 
to  individual  countries  and  presided  over  by 
the  Earl  of  Northbrooke,  Sir  J.  H.  Kenna- 
way,  Baronet,  and  other  prominent  men ; 
and  at  which  numerous  and  able  mission- 
aries from  all  parts  of  the  world,  executive 
officers  of  evangelistic  societies,  as  well  as 
gentlemen  in  different  positions,  gave  results 
of  personal  acquaintance  or  their  independ- 
ent views. 

Other  missionary  operations  and  features 
of  the  great  enterprise,  not  limited  geograph- 
ically, required  separate  sessions  and  large 
treatment  —  such  as  the  church's  duty  at 
the  present  time,  woman's  work  for  women, 


408  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

medical  missions,  and  missions  to  the  Jews. 
By  the  way,  is  not  "  medical  missions  "  a  mis- 
nomer? There  are  very  few  if  any  medical 
missiojzs,  but  only  medical  missionaries  — 
over  three  hundred  at  the  present  time  — 
associated  with  those  who  are  not  specially 
versed  in  the  healing  art.  At  the  meeting 
when  this  subject  was  discussed,  Professor 
McAllister,  LL.  D.,  of  Cambridge,  presided, 
and  spoke  with  earnestness.  Turning  to 
the  life  of  our  Lord,  it  is  to  be  noticed  that 
early  in  his  public  career  he  wrought  a  mira- 
cle of  healing,  and  that  of  the  thirty-three 
individual  miracles  wrought  by  him  and  re- 
corded by  the  Evangelists,  fully  two  thirds 
were  miracles  of  healing.  In  our  day  this 
blessed  art  as  a  pioneer  work  and  an  auxili- 
ary Is  of  high  value. 

Regarding  labor  in  behalf  of  the  children 
of  Abraham,  it  was  doubtless  not  before 
known  to  all  who  were  present  that  there 
are  now  in  Christian  lands  nearly  fifty  (47) 
societies  devoted  to  evangelizing  the  Jews, 
with  an  aofSfreeate  annual    income    of   four 


LECT.x.]  TOPICS    DISCUSSED.  409 

hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  occupy- 
ing one  hundred  and  thirty-two  stations,  em- 
ploying between  four  and  five  hundred  (457) 
agents,  and  that  within  the  last  three  quar- 
ters of  a  century  a  hundred  thousand  prose- 
lytes have,  as  is  estimated,  been  baptized. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  there  was 
one  series  of  meetings  for  members  only, 
which  were  not  reported  at  the  time.  Of 
these  there  were  a  score  or  more  somewhat 
after  the  fashion  of  sectional  sessions  at 
gatherings  of  the  British  Association  of  Sci- 
ence and  similar  bodies.  At  those  meetings 
there  was  a  larger  number  of  participants 
and  greater  freedom  than  at  any  others. 
Missionary  agencies  and  methods  as  related, 
for  example,  to  polygamy  and  to  evangeliza- 
tion in  Roman  Catholic  countries ;  the 
proper  spheres  and  value  of  education,  and 
of  literature ;  native  churches ;  missionary 
comity  and  home  agencies,  are  matters  to 
which  earnest  attention  was  given.  Some 
of  the  more  valuable  essays  and  information 
communicated  at  the  conference  were  sub- 


4IO  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

mitted  in  these  assemblies  restricted  to  dele- 
gates. 

At  the  valedictory  session  a  variety  of 
subjects  —  most  of  them  not  having  the  re- 
frain of  farewell  —  came  into  view.  After 
that  gathering  there  was  an  enthusiastic 
supplementary  meeting,  which  did  not  enter 
into  the  original  plan.  It  had  respect  to  the 
opium  trade  with  China,  the  liquor  traffic  in 
Africa,  and  government  license  of  vice  in 
India. 

On  the  whole  the  scope  of  subjects  must 
be  regarded  as  too  encyclopaedic.  Anything 
like  an  adequate  consideration  of  them  all 
was  impossible.  While  a  good  deal  of  time 
was  devoted  to  a  rehearsal  of  missionary 
labors  in  different  fields,  such  narratives 
were  necessarily  incomplete.  Some  of  the 
larger  and  more  important  of  those  opera- 
tions were  scarcely  alluded  to.  The  earlier 
published  purpose  of  securing  statistics  from 
all  the  societies  had  to  be  abandoned, 
though  some  of  them,  in  compliance  with  a 
request  from    the    London   Committee,  had 


LECT.x.]  TOPICS    DISCUSSED.  4II 

devoted  a  good  deal  of  pains  to  the  matter. 
Tabulated  history  and  results  do  not  form 
appropriate  matter  for  such  conferences. 
They  should  find  place  in  separate  book 
form.  Condensed  retrospects,  however,  are 
pertinent,  and  one  session  was  devoted  to 
elaborate  summaries,  contrasting  the  state 
of  the  world  a  hundred  years  ago  with  what 
it  now  is  in  resfard  to  foreio^n  evano^elism. 
Valuable  information  and  hints  were  com- 
municated by  Dr.  Sutherland,  of  Toronto,  by 
Mr.  George  Smith,  LL.  D.,  of  Edinburgh, 
by  Robert  N.  Cust,  LL.  D.,  of  London,  and 
by  Dr.  Wright,  superintendent  of  the  edi- 
torial and  translating  department  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  When 
that  was  formed,  1804,  there  existed  versions 
of  God's  Word  in  only  fifty  languages.  Dur- 
ing the  ten  years  from  1878  to  1888  that 
society  alone  issued  fifty-six  new  versions  — 
six  more  than  had  been  produced  in  all 
the  eighteen  hundred  years  that  preceded. 
It  is  claimed  that  more  copies  of  Holy  Script- 
ure were  published  in  one  year,  1887,  than 


412  MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES.  [lect.x. 

had  been  in  the  first  seventeen  centuries  of 
the  Christian  era.  Has  an  item  of  statistics 
so  animating  as  that  been  given  to  the  world 
in  our  age  or  in  any  age  ? 

While  the  subjects  were  multitudinous 
and  a  little  confusing  for  a  series  of  delib- 
erative assemblies,  yet  when  the  proceedings 
shall  appear  in  a  logical  and  published  form 
they  will  constitute  a  rich  treasury — indeed, 
the  most  valuable  work  of  the  kind  that  has 
ever  been  issued.' 

NOT    A    CENTENNIAL. 

It  was  a  mistake  to  call  this  conference  a 
centennial.  With  few  exceptions  those  who 
referred  to  the  matter  spoke  of  the  hundred 
years  thus  completed  as  the  period  of  mod- 
ern missions  ;  affirming  or  implying  that  the 
whole  post-reformation  period  till  1788  was 
one  of  barrenness  in  this  line  of  things. 
Nothing  but  thoughtlessness  or  ignorance 
could  have  led  to  such  statements.     In  the 


*  This  lecture  was  prepared  before  the  two  volumes  were  pub- 
lished.    A  few  names  and  facts  have  since  been  verified. 


LECT.  X.]  NOT   A    CENTENNIAL.  413 

first  place  the  year  seventeen  hundred  and 
eighty-eight  furnishes  no  starting  point  in 
missions.  Of  the  societies  which  have 
sprung  up  within  the  last  hundred  years,  the 
first  did  not  come  into  being  till  1792.  But 
the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel,  now 
hastening  to  its  two  hundredth  anniversary, 
whatever  we  may  think  of  its  methods  and 
spirit,  began  early  the  evangelizing  of  Indi- 
ans in  North  America.  Grant  that  Eliot 
and  the  Mayhews  did  not  go  to  a  land  foreign 
to  their  residence  to  find  the  red  men ;  is 
not  David  Brainerd  rightly  reckoned  as  a 
foreign  missionary  ?  But  he  finished  his 
course  toward  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago. 
From  the  Danish  mission  in  Tranquebar, 
instituted  in  1706,  proceeded  the  earliest 
translation  of  the  Bible  into  Tamil,  and  a 
useful  course  of  Christian  literature,  to  which 
later  missions  in  Southern  India  and  North- 
ern Ceylon  have  been  much  indebted.  More 
than  a  century  and  a  half  ago  the  number 
of  converts  was  reckoned  at  over  three  thou- 
sand, while   of   catechists    there    were    then 


414  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x 

thirty.  In  1788  the  celebrated  Christian 
Frederick  Schwarz  had  yet  ten  years  of  Hfe 
for  labor  in  India.  It  is  more  than  a  cent- 
ury and  a  half  since  the  first  Moravian  mis- 
sion was  started,  1732.  Within  five  years 
from  that  date  five  missions  were  begun,  and 
within  a  quarter  of  a  century  from  that  date 
eighteen  new  missions  had  proceeded  from 
Herrnhut,  a  mere  speck  in  Central  Europe. 
The  first  jubilee  of  Moravian  missions  oc- 
curred more  than  a  century  ago  (1782),  at 
which  time  there  were  twenty-seven  stations, 
manned  by  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  mis- 
sionaries. The  unobtrusive  yet  unmatched 
zeal  of  the  United  Brethren  had  for  two 
thirds  of  a  century  been  a  rebuke  to  nearly 
the  whole  of  Protestant  Christendom,  and 
furnished  some  degree  of  impulse  to  move- 
ments which  began  in  other  churclics  less 
than  a  hundred  years  since.  As  early  as 
1 74 1,  Spangenberg,  a  Moravian  bishop, 
founded  a  missionary  society  in  London 
itself.  Yet  speaker  after  speaker  at  the 
London  Conference  of  1888  ignored  all  tliat, 


LBCT.  X.]  SPIRIT    AND    TONE.  415 

and  seemed  to  labor  under  the  impression 
that  foreign  missions  were  a  novelty  from 
1 788  onward,  a  date  entirely  without  sig- 
nificance in  evangelistic  annals.  There  was 
no  more  ground  for  reckoning  a  centenary 
thence  than  there  would  be  for  measuring 
off  one  hundred  miles  from  nowhere,  or 
measuring  a  meridian  from  the  southern 
boundary  of  Georgia  to  Lake  Superior,  as  if 
that  were  the  longest,  making  no  account  of 
a  stretch  of  four  hundred  miles  in  the  penin- 
sula of  Florida. 

SPIRIT    AND   TONE. 

The  very  object  of  the  conference  was  a 
pledge  of  saintly  fellowship.  And  what  was 
it  that  brought  thus  together  such  a  varied 
representation  of  races,  languages,  and  locali- 
ties ?  Not  an  exposition  of  the  world's  secu- 
lar industries ;  not  that,  in  a  parliament  of 
mankind,  they  might  discuss  navigation 
laws,  questions  of  universal  currency  or  uni 
versal  language;  but  to  take  the  gauge  of 
unevangetized  heathendom ;  to  stand  in  that 


4l6  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

central  whispering  gallery  and  listen  to  the 
tramp  and  wail  of  millions  moving  on  to 
eternity  ignorant  of  the  most  wonderful 
events  in  the  universe  —  the  incarnation  of 
the  Son  of  God,  the  atoning  death  of  Jesus 
Christ,  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  his 
ascension  to  glory,  and  free  deliverance  from 
sin  and  hell  through  him,  the  only,  the  all- 
sufficient  Saviour.  From  that  high  watch- 
tower  they  were  to  see  how  mountains  have 
sunk  and  valleys  been  filled ;  to  call  to  mind 
the  amount  of  prayer,  of  toil,  of  trial,  of  heart- 
ache, of  tears  those  achievements  have  cost. 
Photographs  of  cemeteries  all  about  our 
planet  might  be  expected  to  pass  before  the 
eye,  as  well  as  the  great  cemetery  of  the  sea, 
whose  treasures  will  be  unpictured  till  the 
last  morning  of  time.  Pathetic  scenes  would 
not  improbably  come  to  view,  like  that  of 
the  missionary  mother,  sending  home  her 
child,  kneeling  on  the  beach  and  saying, 
"This  I  do,  dear  Jesus,  for  thee!"  Nor 
would  the  sacred  joys  of  self-sacrifice  for  the 
Master   be    kept   wholly    out   of   sight.     In 


i^cT.x.]  SPIRIT    AND    TONE.  417 

speaking  of  the  comparative  size  it  was  natu- 
ral that  we  should  glance  at  the  great  eccle- 
siastical councils,  although  their  object  was 
so  different.  They  were  usually  convened 
to  consider  questions  of  church  polity,  liturgy, 
or  doctrine ;  yet  whatever  their  object  they 
were  not  usually  harmonious,  but  were  "  the 
pitched  battles  of  church  history."  That 
was  the  case  even  in  earlier  periods.  Greg- 
ory Nazianzen,  who  presided  for  a  part  of 
the  time  over  the  second  ecumenical  council, 
says :  "  I  am  inclined  to  avoid  conventions 
of  bishops.  I  never  knew  one  that  did  not 
come  to  a  bad  end  and  create  more  disorders 
than  it  attempted  to  rectify."  Dr.  Jortin  re- 
marks :  "  Some  of  these  councils  were  not 
assemblies  of  pious  and  learned  divines,  but 
cabals,  the  majority  of  which  were  quarrel- 
some, fanatical,  domineering,  dishonest  pre- 
lates, who  wanted  to  compel  men  to  approve 
of  all  their  opinions,  of  which  they  them- 
selves had  no  clear  conceptions,  and  to  an- 
athematize and  oppress  those  who  would 
not    implicitly    submit    to    their   determina- 


41 8  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

tions."  But  the  spirit  of  the  London  Con- 
ference was  excellent.  Much  prayer  had 
been  offered  before  it  assembled,  a  request 
to  that  effect  having  been  widely  circulated. 
The  morning  prayer  meetings  day  by  day 
were  hallowed  seasons.  As  might  therefore 
reasonably  be  expected,  the  atmosphere  of 
the  business  sessions  was  spiritually  health- 
ful. Not  much  sharpness  and  no  bitterness, 
no  discourtesy  appeared.  Self-gratulation 
was  suppressed.  The  prevailing  tone  was 
truly  Christian  and  elevated.  From  first  to 
last  but  little  came  to  lio:ht  that  would  re- 
mind  one  of  denominational  differences.  It 
should  be  added  that  a  spontaneous  sacra- 
mental service,  not  by  appointment  of  the 
conference,  was  observed  after  adjournment. 
We  believe  in  the  communion  of  saints. 
What  reporter  would  undertake  to  estimate 
the  tide  of  holy  love  then  setting  in  and  fill- 
imr  the  rivulets  of  all  hearts  ?  It  was  an 
antepast  of  the  great  feast  when  they  shall 
come  from  the  east  and  from  the  west,  from 
the  north  and  from  the  south,  and  shall  sit 


LBCT.x.]  SOCIAL    AMENITIES.  419 

down  In  the  kingdom  of  God.  If  we  came 
together  at  the  opening  of  the  conference  or 
at  the  Eucharist,  as  strangers,  we  parted  as 
brethren.  Far  fewer  will  there  be  to  be  in- 
troduced to  one  another  in  heaven.  The 
chief  thou2:ht  was  not  so  much  that  cultured 
men  had  brought  there  the  results  of  learn- 
ing and  experience;  not  so  much  that  emi- 
nent men  had  presided  with  dignity  and 
grace,  as  that  there  had  been  one  unseen 
Moderator,  on  whose  head  are  many  crowns; 
the  One  present  eighteen  hundred  years 
ago  at  the  conference  when  the  most  mem- 
orable of  promises  was  given  —  a  promise 
which  embraced  every  mission  station  and 
every  missionary  meeting  to  the  end  of  time: 
"  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway." 

SOCIAL    AMENITIES. 

It  would  be  an  unauthorized  omission  if  I 
should  fail  to  speak  of  certain  gratifying  ac- 
cessories. These  were  not,  to  be  sure,  in 
the  printed  program ;  they  were  merely  inci- 
dental, but  were  none  the  less  charming  in- 


420  MISSIONARY   CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

terludes,  delightfully  relieving  and  diversify- 
ing the  more  solid  and  arduous  ten  days' 
work.  I  refer  to  social  amenities.  Our 
English  cousins  are  sometimes  said  to  be 
phlegmatic  and  exclusive,  and  it  may  not  in- 
deed be  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  get 
inside  of  an  Englishman's  heart  or  home, 
but  once  there  you  find  it  a  warm  place. 
You  find  a  rare  type  of  sensible,  cordial, 
ample  hospitality.  So  far  as  concerned  the 
conference,  London  reserve  gave  place  to 
a  forth-putting  like  the  June  foliage  and 
flowers  of  London's  beautiful  Hyde  Park. 
It  would  be  a  violation  of  delicacy  to  speak 
particularly  of  "  Gains  mine  host."  Indeed, 
a  different  class  of  courtesies  is  now  in  mind. 
Every  day,  at  the  expense  of  a  few  English 
friends,  a  generous  luncheon  was  served  in 
the  neighboring  gymnasium  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association.  From  two  to 
three  hundred  delegates,  largely  American, 
sat  at  the  tables.  The  only  drawback  was 
the  speaking,  though  excellent,  that  followed, 
of  which  we  were  having  an  abundance  if 


LECT.x.]  SOCIAL    AMENITIES.  42 1 

not  a  surfeit  at  Exeter  Hall.  A  little  repose 
and  recreation  were  more  needful.  An  op- 
portunity for  reciprocation  by  American 
delegates  occurred.  Through  the  thought- 
ful liberality  of  one  of  their  number  an  ample 
collation  was  served  in  Freemasons'  Hall, 
at  which  over  a  thousand  guests  sat  down. 
At  private  houses  there  were  select  recep- 
tions and  entertainments,  decidedly  Chris- 
tian in  aim  and  tone,  as  at  Dowager  Lady 
Kinnaird's,  Sir  John  Kennaway's,  Sir  Fowell 
Buxton's,  Lord  Radstock's,  and  elsewhere. 
Larger  receptions  were  tendered  by  the  Na- 
tional Temperance  League,  by  the  Religious 
Tract  Society,  by  the  Bible  Society,  by  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  and  by  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society.  Two  large  garden 
parties  came  off.  The  one  at  Regent's  Park 
College  was  marred  by  rainy  weather,  which 
is  characteristically  English.  The  one  at 
Dollis  Hill,  Lord  Aberdeen's  seat  near  Lon- 
don, was  specially  gratifying.  Not  far  from 
a  thousand  guests  appeared  on  the  lawn, 
where   the  stars  and  stripes  were  flying  at 


42  2  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lhct.  x. 

more  than  one  point.  There,  as  elsewhere, 
post-prandial  entertainment  was  not  omitted, 
there  being  short  addresses  from  our  host, 
from.  Dr.  Parker,  of  London,  Professor 
Drummond,  and  Sir  Lionel  Pla3'fair.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Gladstone  appeared  on  the  veran- 
da, and  the  crowd  had  an  opportunity  of 
shaking  hands  with  the  celebrated  statesman. 
It  is  not  out  of  place  to  state  that,  on  the 
score  of  constant  courtesy,  delegates  from 
the  United  States  met  with  marked  atten- 
tions. Evident  pains  were  taken  by  English 
friends  to  show  all  due  politeness.  It  was 
only  American  delegates  who  were  invited 
by  the  Lord  Mayor  to  a  reception  at  the 
Mansion  House ;  and  in  passing  it  may  be 
stated  that,  so  far  as  my  observation  went, 
none  of  them  took  the  wine  which  was 
offered. 

GENERAL  FEATURES  AND  RESULTS. 

Taken  all  in  all,  the  London  Conference 
of  1888  was  eminently  successful  and  emi- 
nently  valuable.      It   will    not   improbably 


LECT.  X.]   GENERAL  FEATURES  AND  RESULTS.         423 

mark  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  Christ's 
kingdom  on  earth.  It  was  the  largest  and 
ablest  assembly  of  that  kind  which  has  ever 
met.  Weigh  that  conference.  Place  those 
delegates  in  the  balances  of  the  sanctuary. 
Place  those  fifteen  or  sixteen  hundred  men 
and  women,  freighted  with  weighty  convic- 
tions and  holy  emotions,  against  any  fifteen 
thousand  who  bear  the  Christian  name,  yet 
who  think  nothing  about  the  perishing 
heathen  or  about  Christ's  last  command. 
How  will  the  scales  stand  ?  It  was  an  occa- 
sion of  religious  enthusiasm,  of  saintly  fel- 
lowship, of  great  spiritual  joy.  It  may  yet 
appear  that  no  previous  meeting  of  any  sort 
in  the  present  century  has  been  of  such  far- 
reaching  consequences.  Not  since  the  Chris- 
tian era  began  would  a  missionary  confer- 
ence on  such  a  scale  have  been  possible. 
But  it  was  a  season  of  humiliation  in  view  of 
individual  shortcomings  and  the  laggard 
movements  of  Christ's  church  at  large.  An 
effective  rebuke  was  there  administered  to 
conceit,  whether  personal,  denominational  or 


424  MISSIONARY    CONFERENCES.  [lect.  x. 

national.  That  fortnight  at  Exeter  Hall 
was  a  condensed  university  course.  It  was 
a  school  of  comity.  It  was  a  challenge  to 
hopefulness,  to  gratitude,  to  courageous  ad- 
vance. The  proportions  of  the  existing 
foreign  work  loomed  up  in  an  animating 
magnitude.  Though  sadly  small  compared 
with  what  they  ought  to  be,  they  are  colos- 
sal compared  with  what  they  were  at  the 
opening  of  the  nineteenth  century.  There 
are  more  good  men  and  women  living  at 
this  hour  than  ever  before  since  the  world 
stood.  More  nearly  now  than  ever  before  is 
the  gospel  being  preached  to  all  nations ; 
and  greater  progress  is  now  taking  place 
tha^n  at  any  period  since  that  of  the  apostles. 
Some  hundreds  if  not  thousands  of  Chris- 
tian men  and  women  were  enriched ;  they 
received  a  mighty  and  abiding  impulse.  On 
their  part  there  will  be  a  more  systematic 
and  vigorous  training  of  others ;  a  more 
systematic  and  ample  giving ;  a  more  system- 
atic and  earnest  praying.  The  conviction 
has  been    deepened  that  for  spiritual  work 


LBCT.x.]  GENERAL  FEATURES  AND  RESULTS.        425 

spiritual  men  are  needed  ;  that  every  disciple 
should  in  some  sense  and  in  some  way  be  a 
missionary ;  that  the  minister  not  willing, 
under  divine  guidance,  to  go  anywhere,  is  fit 
to  preach  nowhere;  that  Christ  in  the  mis- 
sionary is  mightier  than  the  mightiest  oppo- 
nent;  that  present  obligation  is  most  impera- 
tive and  opportunities  most  marvelous. ' 

*  Appendix,  note  61. 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX 


IToto. 

I.   p.  19.    Gilbert  Burnet  (1643-1715).     Discourse  on  Pastoral 

Care  (1692). 
John  Edwards.   The  Preacher  (2d  ed.)   London,  1705. 

The  Preacher  and  Hearer  (2d  part).    London, 

1707. 
Cotton  Mather  {1662,-17 2?>).     Student  and  Preacher: 

Intituled,  Manuductio  ad  Ministerium  (1726). 
Philip  Doddridge   (1702-17 51).      On   the   Evil    and 

Danger  of  Neglecting  Souls  (1742). 
jfohn  yennings.      Of    Particular  and    Experimental 

Preaching  (1754). 
Job  Orton  (1717-1783).     Letters  to  a  Young  Clergy- 


John  Mason  (1705-1763).     The  Student  and  Pastor 

(1755). 
George  Campbell  (17 19-1796),  Principal  of   Marishal 

College,   Aberdeen.    Lectures    on  the   Pastoral 

Character. 
John  Smith.     Lectures  on  the  Nature  and  End  of 

the  Sacred  Office.    Glasgow  (1798). 
Alexander  Gerhard,  Professor  in  the  University  and 

King's  College,  Aberdeen.    The  Pastoral  Care. 

London,  1799. 
Stephen   Magill   (1765-1840),  Professor  of  Theology 

in  the  University  of   Glasgow.     Considerations 

Addressed  to  a  Young  Clergyman  (1809). 


(429) 


430  APPENDIX. 

Pastoral  Theologie,  in  drei  Buchern.  Der  Prediger, 
der   Priester,   der   Pastor.     Zweite  Auf.      Kiel, 

1837. 
Alexandre  Rudolphe   Vinet  (1797-1847).      Theologie 
Pastoral,  ou  Theorie  du  Ministere  fivangelique. 
Paris,   1850.     Pastoral  Theology,  translated  and 
edited  by  Thomas  H.  Skinner.     New  York,  1853. 

William  Arthur.  The  Tongue  of  Fire;  or,  The 
True  Power  of  Christianity.     London,  1856. 

John  Angell  yames.  An  Earnest  Ministry  the  Want 
of  the  Times,  1847.  Not  surpassed  in  value  by 
any  other  of  his  works. 

y.  y.  Blunt.  The  Parish  Priest,  1856.  Seventh 
Edition.  London,  1876.  Lectures  II-IV  "On 
the  Reading  of  the  Parish  Priest"  contain  noth- 
ing that  looks  in  the  direction  of  mission  work, 
except  possibly,  among  topics  for  pastoral  con- 
versation, a  mention  of  "  The  Church  of  the 
Colonies." 

Edward  Bather.  On  Some  Ministerial  Duties.  Lon- 
don, 1876. 

Alexander  Macleod.  Christus  Consolator :  The  Pul- 
pit in  Relation  to  Social  Life.     London,  1870. 

Patrick  FairbairHy  Principal  of  the  Free  Church  Col 
lege,  Glasgow.    Pastoral  Theology.     Edinburgh, 

1875. 
yoseph  Parker.     Ad    Clerum :    Advice   to   a   Young 

Preacher. 
Charles  H.    Spurgeon.       Lectures   to    my   Students. 

First  Series,  New  York,    1875.     Second  Series, 

London,  1877. 

Eleazar  Lord.  Practical  Pastorship,  1835.  Origi- 
nally as  Articles  in  Lit.  and  Theol.  Review  ;  after- 
wards published  separately. 


APPENDIX.  431 

Heman  Humphrey.  Forty-four  Letters  to  a  Son  in 
the  Ministry.     Amherst,  1842. 

Gardiner  Spring.  The  Power  of  the  Pulpit.  New 
York,  1848. 

James  Spencer  Cannon,  Professor  in  the  Theological 
Seminary  at  Brunswick,  N.  J.  Lectures  on  Pas- 
toral Theology.     New  York,  1859. 

Nicholas  Murray.  Preachers  and  Preaching.  New 
York,  i860. 

Francis  Wayland.  Letters  on  the  Ministry  of  the 
Gospel.     Boston,  1S63. 

Daniel  P.  Kidder,  Professor  m  the  Garrett  Biblical 
Institute,  Evanston,  111.  A  Treatise  on  Homi- 
letics.  New  York,  1864.  Chap.  XVII.  "Preach- 
ing as  a  Missionary  Duty;  "  relates  only  to  home 
missionary  labors. 

Seth  S7veetser.  The  Ministry  We  Need.  Am.  Tract 
Society,  1873. 

Stephen  H.  Tyng.  The  Office  and  Duty  of  a  Chris- 
tian Pastor.     New  York,  1874. 

John  Hall.  God's  Word  through  Preachmg.  New 
York,  1875. 

Matthew  Simpson.  Lectures  on  Preaching.  New 
York,  1879. 

Gregory  Thurston  Bedell.  The  Pastor.  Philadel- 
phia, 1880. 

Praktische   Bemerkungen  die  Fiihrung  des    evangel- 

ischen  Predigtamtes  betreffend.    Herrnhut,  18 14. 
J.  C.  Burk.      Evangelische     Pastoral- Theologie    in 

Beispielen,    2  Bde.     Stuttgart,   1838-39.      Erst. 

Band,  493-526.     2te  Bd.,  284-310. 
Friedrich  Ehrenfeuchter.     Die  praktische  Theologie 

dargestellt.     Erste  Abtheilung.    Gottingen,  1859. 
Rudolph  Stier.     Grundriss  der  Keryktik,    2te    Aufl. 

1844. 


432  APPENDIX. 

y.  y.  Van  Oosterzee.  Practical  Theology.  Trans- 
lated by  Maurice  J.  Evans. 

Charles  Bridges.  The  Christian  Ministry  (1829).  Lon- 
don. Ninth  Ed.  Part  V,  chap.  VIII.  (Miscella- 
neous.) 

R.  W.  Dale.  New  Lectures  on  Preaching,  delivered 
at  Yale  College,  New  Haven,  Conn.  New  York, 
1878,  p.  290. 

yames  Stewart  Wilson.  The  Life  Education  and 
Wider  Culture  of  the  Christian  Ministry.  Lect- 
ures delivered  at  the  Universities  of  Aberdeen, 
Glasgow,  Edinburgh,  and  St.  Andrews.  Edin 
burgh  and  London,  1882. 

Thomas  Murphy.  Pastoral  Theology.  Philadelphia, 
1877.     Chap.  IX,  427-449. 

II.  Harvey,  Professor  in  Hamilton  Theological  Semi- 
nary. The  Pastor.  Philadelphia,  1879.  Sec. 
XH,  111-113. 

yames  M.  Hoppin.  Pastoral  Theology.  New  York, 
1884,  546-577. 

2.  p.  23    A  few  paragraphs  of  this  lecture  form  a  part  of  an 

address  at  the  Conference  on  Foreign  Missions, 
Mildmay  Park,  London,  1878.  See  Proceedings 
of  the  Conference.     London,  1879. 

3.  p.  27.    Lebanon,  Conn.    Jonathan  Trumbull,  1769-1784. 

Jonathan  Trumbull,  Jr.,  1 798-1 809. 
Clark  Bissell,  1847-1849. 
Joseph  Trumbull,  1849-1850. 
William  A.  Buckingham,  1858-1866. 

4.  p.  38.    Lecture  I.     Literature  of  the  Subject. 

I.  Desiderius  Erasmus.  Ecclesiastes,  sive  de  ratione 
concionandi.  Res.  Fred.  Aug.  Klein,  Lipsiae, 
MDCCCXX,  Lib.  Prim.  Cap.,  LXII-LXIV. 


APPENDIX.  433 

2.  y.  C.  F.  Btirk.  Evangelische  Pastoral- Theologie 
in  Beispielen.  2te  Bd.  Stuttgart,  1838-1839.  I 
(493-526).     II  (284-310). 

3.  Friedrich  Ehrenfeiichter.  Die  praktische  Theolo- 
gie dargestellt.  Erst.  Abtheil.  Gottingen,  1859 
(207-460). 

4.  J.  J.  Van  Oosterzee.  Practical  Theology  (1878). 
Translated  by  Maurice  J.  Evans.  §  LXVI  (588- 
601). 

5.  John  Angell  James.  An  Earnest  Mirxistry.  New 
York,  1848. 

6.  Gardiner  Spring.  The  Power  of  the  Pulpit.  New 
York,  1848. 

7.  William  S.  Phimmer.  Hints  and  Helps  in  Pas- 
toral Theology.  New  York.  Chap.  XXVIII, 
pp.  30S-362. 

8.  Enoch  Pond.  Lectures  on  Practical  Theology. 
Andover,  1866.     Lee.  XVII  (239-252). 

9.  Seth  Sweetser.  The  Ministry  We  Need.  Anu 
Tract  Soc,  1S73. 

10.  Thomas  Murphy.  Pastoral  Theology.  Philadel- 
phia, 1877.     Chap.  IX,  pp.  427-449- 

11.  //.  Harvey.     The   Pastor.       Philadelphia,    1879. 

Sec.  XII,  pp.  111-113- 

12.  James  M.  Hoppin.  Pastoral  Theology.  New 
York,  1884.     pp.  546-577- 

13.  Andrew  Somerville.  Lectures  on  Missions  and 
Evangelism.    Edinburgh,  1874.    Lee.  IV  (58-81). 

14.  Riifiis  Anderson.  Foreign  Missions:  their  Re- 
lations and  Claims.  New  York,  1869.  Chap 
ters  X  (169-195),  XIII  (248-268),  and  Appendix 
(326-330). 

15.  Swan  L.  Pomeroy.  Missionary  Responsibilities 
of  Pastors.  An.  Report  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M., 
1850  (30-38). 


434  APPENDIX. 

i6.    Selah  B.  Treat.     Missionary  Consecration.     An. 

Report  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  1876  (XII-XX). 
17.     Missionary  Papers  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  No. 

VI.     Part  I.     When  has   a  Minister  done  his 

Duty  to  the  Heathen  ? 

5.  p.  51.  John  B.  Melson.  "Who  is  my  Neighbor?"  Lon- 
don, 1842,  pp.  156-182. 

C.  H.  Robinson.  Missions  Urged  upon  the  State. 
London,  1853. 

R.  W.  Church.  On  Some  Influences  of  Christianity 
upon  National  Character.     London,  1873. 

William  Cnnninghayn.  Christian  Civilization  with 
special  Reference  to  India.     London,  1880. 

F.  E.  Slater.  The  Philosophy  of  Missions,  pp.  68- 
91. 

Carl  Hein.  Chris.  Plath.  The  Subject  of  Missions 
Considered  under  three  Aspects.  (1868.)  Trans- 
lated by  L.  Kirkpatrick.  Edinburgh,  1873.  PP- 
79-141. 

William  Warren.     These  for  Those.    Portland,  1870. 

Johtt  S.  Stone.  The  Bearings  of  Modern  Commerce 
on  the  Progress  of  Modern  Missions.  A  Sermon. 
1839. 

Thomas  Laurie.  The  Ely  Volume,  or  Contributions 
of  our  Foreign  Missions  to  Science  and  Human 
Well-being.     Boston,  1881. 

Harris's  Great  Commission,    pp.  206-228. 

Francis  Wayland.  The  Moral  Dignity  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Enterprise.     1823. 

Daniel  Abeel.  Happy  Influence  of  Foreign  Missions 
on  the  Church. 

William  M.  Taylor.  The  Influence  of  Christianity 
on  Human  Institutions  and  Occupations.     1876. 

Macfarlane's  Jubilee  of  the  World,     pp.  323-356. 

Rev.  George  CI  ay  ton'' s  Sermon  before  the  London 
Missionary  Society.     1821. 


APPENDIX.  435 

Dr.  Ralph   Wardlaw^ s  Sermon   before   the   London 

Missionary  Society.     1818. 
Rev.  Thomas  Adkin^s  Sermon  in  Behalf  of  the  same 

Society. 

6.  p.   53.  I  have  not  been  able,  by  reading  or  by  correspondence 

with  well-informed  Englishmen,  to  find  evidence 
that  this  incident,  often  quoted,  is  authentic ;  but 
its  verisimilitude  cannot  be  questioned. 

7.  p.   54.  Most  marvelous  is  the  idea,  entertained  by  a  few,  that 

mission  work  was  enjoined  only  upon  the  apos- 
tles, and  that,  they  having  carried  the  gospel  to 
all  nations,  the  Church  has  nothing  further  to  do 
in  that  line,  at  least  tUl  Christ's  second  advent. 
Welche  historischen  und  welche  christlich  ethi- 
schen  Begriffe  tnuss  man  doch  sich  in  den  Kopf 
gesetzt  habeitf  um  solche  alberne  Deductionen 
sich  aneignen  zu  konnen  I  —  Palmer^  Evan.  Pas- 
toral-TkeoL,  343. 

8.  p.    56.  A  spurious  system  of  Calvinism  prevailed  so  exten- 

sively in  the  churches  of  the  Baptist  denomina- 
tion through  the  midland  counties  as  to  delude 
and  obdurate  the  consciences  of  the  unconverted ; 
whilst  it  chilled  the  sympathies  and  utterly  para- 
lyzed the  efforts  of  professing  Christians. — Me- 
moir of  William,  Carey ^  by  Eustace  Carey,    p.  58. 

9.  p.  64.   A  Sermon  by  Rev.  Leigh  Richmond  before  the  Society 

for  Missions  to  Africa  and  the  East.     1809. 
A  Sermon  by  Dr.  Edward  Williams.     London,  181 1. 

10.  p.  70.  Tawenquatuck,  the  first  Indian  Sachem  on  Martha's 
Vineyard  Island  who  became  a  Christian  (1646), 
told  Mr.  Mayhew  that  he  wondered  the  English 
should  have  been  thirty  years  in  the  country,  and 


436  APPENDIX. 

yet  that  "the  Indians  were  fools  still."  —  7"/^^ 
Venerable  May  hews.  By  Wm.  A.  Hallock.  p. 
118. 

Miss  Mary  Whately,  daughter  of  the  well-known 
Archbishop  of  Dublin,  laboring  among  the 
harems  of  Cairo,  and  talking  of  Christ's  love, 
was  one  day  addressed  by  an  eagerly  attentive 
woman:  "Oh,  why  was  I  never  told  of  this  be- 
fore ?  "  —  Our  Eastern  Sisters.  By  Mrs.  H.  W. 
Ellis,     p.  104. 

At  Malatia,  in  Turkey,  when  Miss  Maria  West  was 
talking  about  the  way  of  salvation,  an  aged  Arme- 
nian mother  moaned  out :  "  Oh  !  why  didn't  you 
come  before  ?  why  didn't  you  come  before  ?  It  is 
too  late  for  me  to  learn  the  way !  "  —  Romance  of 
Missions.     By  Miss  Maria  West.     p.  669. 

When  Miss  West  spoke  to  an  Armenian  con- 
verted woman  at  Marpoot  about  returning  to 
America,  "Oh,  don't  go;  stay  longer  and  teach 
us!"  she  exclaimed ;  and  added,  "Why  didn't 
the  missionaries  come  before  ?  If  they  had  only 
come  when  I  was  young,  I  too  might  have 
worked  for  Christ !  "  —  Do.     p.  666. 

When  Kapiolani,  Queen  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  was 
told  by  an  old  priest  how  a  little  boy  had  been 
offered  in  sacrifice,  she  hid  her  face  with  her 
hands,  and  weeping,  said:  "Oh,  why  did  not 
Christians  come  sooner  and  teach  us  bettei 
things.-"'  —  Honohdu.  By  Mrs.  Laura  F.  Judd. 
p.  98. 

The  Rev.  W.  Wyatt  Gill  states  that  at  a  fellowship 
meeting,  such  as  native  Christians  in  the  South 
Sea  Islands  have  among  themselves,  an  old  man 
rose  and  said:  "There  is  one  thing  I  want  to 
ask:  Can  it  be  that  the  Christian  people  in  Eng- 
land have  had  this  gospel  of  peace  for  many  long 


APPENDIX.  437 

years  and  have  never  sent  it  to  us  till  now  ?  Oh 
that  they  had  sent  it  sooner  i  Had  they  sent  it 
sooner  I  should  not  today  be  solitary,  sad- 
hearted,  mourning  my  murdered  wife  and  chil- 
dren.    Oh,  that  they  had  sent  it  sooner !  " 

When  the  Bible  was  first  taken  to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Fiji  Islands  they  asked  :  "  How  long  have 
you  had  this  book  ?  Why  did  you  not  bring  it  to 
us  before  ? " 

The  Rev.  G.  M.  Chamberlain,  of  Sao  Paulo,  Brazil, 
reports  an  inquiry  from  a  gray-haired  Roman 
Catholic  of  that  country  (1865) :  *'  Young  man  !  " 
he  said,  as  if  suffering  from  a  keen  sense  of  in- 
justice done  him  and  his  people;  "young  man, 
tell  me,  what  was  your  father  doing  that  my 
father  died  and  never  knew  that  there  was  such  a 
book  as  the  Bible  ?  You  say  that  in  your  land 
you  have  had  this  book  for  generations.  Why 
did  they  not  have  mercy  on  us  ?  How  is  it  that 
only  now  we  are  hearing  of  this  book  ?  My 
father  was  a  religious  man ;  he  taught  us  all  he 
knew ;  but  he  never  said  Bible  to  us,  and  died 
without  the  knowledge  of  it."  —  Missionary  Re- 
view, 1888,  p.  179. 

II.   p.  72.    Lecture  II.     Literature  of  the  Subject. 

1.  Robert  Moffat.  A  Missionary  Prize  Essay.  New- 
castle, 1842,  pp.  60-370. 

2.  Baptist  IV.  Noel.  Christian  Missions  to  Heathen 
Nations.     London,  1842,  pp.  1-12. 

3.  John  MacfarhiJie.  The  Jubilee  of  the  World. 
Glasgow,  1842,  pp.  131-T49. 

4.  Sheldon  Dibble.  Thoughts  on  Missions.  Am. 
Tract  Soc,  pp.  60-110. 

5.  Andrew  Somerville.  Lectures  on  Missions  and 
Evangelism.  Edinburgh,  1874,  pp.  39-57 ;  102- 
158;  285-299. 


438  APPENDIX. 

6.  William  Plummer.  Hints  and  Helps  in  Pastoial 
Theology.     New  York,  1874,  pp.  308-362. 

7.  Adolph  Saphir.  Christ  and  the  Church.  Ser- 
mons on  the  Apostolic  Commission.  Matt.  28  : 
18-20.     London,  1874. 

8.  Joseph  Angus.  In  "Evangelical  Alliance,  1873." 
New  York,  1874,  pp.  583-5S7. 

9.  J.  Harris  Jones.  In  *'  Proceedings  of  the  First 
Gen.  Pres.  Comicil."  Edinburgh,  1877,  PP-  ^ZZ 
-137. 

10.  James  Gall.    The   Evangelistic  Baptism.     Edin- 
burgh, pp.  259-270. 

11.  H.   Harvey.     The   Pastor.      Philadelphia,    1879, 

pp.  111-113. 

INDIVIDUAL  SERMONS. 

(a)  Henry  Martyn.  Sermons.  Calcutta,  1822. 
Sermon  XIX.  "  Christ's  Grand  Commission  to 
his  Apostles."     Matt.  28:  18. 

(b)  Saftmel  Hanna.  Love  to  Christ  an  Incitement 
to  Ministerial  and  Missionary  Exertions.  A  Ser- 
mon preached  before  the  London  Missionary 
Society,  May  8,  1822.     London. 

(c)  Robert  Morrison.  Miscellaneous  Discourses. 
London,  1826.  Discourse  XXIII.  Matt.  28: 
18-20. 

(d)  Edivard  Dorr  Griffin.  A  Sermon  before  the 
American  Board.     1826.     Matt.  28 :  19,  20. 

(e)  Charles  P.  Mcllvaine.  The  Missionary  Charac- 
ter and  Duty  of  the  Church.  1855.  Matt.  5: 
14. 

(f)  George  Washington  Doane.  The  Missionary 
Character  of  the  Church.     Matt.  28:  18-20. 

(g)  Isaac  Bird :  Missionary  Papers  of  the  A.  B.  C. 
F.  M.,  No.  4.     Mark  16:  15. 

(h)  Jonathan  F.  Stearns.  A  Sermon  before  the 
American  Board,  1870 


APPENDIX.  439 

(i)  y.  V.  N.  Talmage.  A  Sermon  preached  at  the 
Shanghai  Missionary  Conference,  1877.  Matt. 
28:  18-20. 

(j)  C.  H,  Spurgeon.  Missionary  Sermon  at  the  Wes- 
leyan  Missionary  Anniversary,  May,  1866,  Lon- 
don.    Matt.  28  :  18-20. 

(k)     G.    Warneck:    Missionsstunden :    Erster    Band, 

I.     Pie  Missionsurkunde  iiber.     Matt.  28  :  18-20. 

(1)     A.    Brdmel.     Zweite   Sammlung   von   Missions- 

Predigten.     (Popitz.)  —  Dessau,    1857,    No.    13. 

Wir  mussen  Mission  treiben.     Mark  16:  15,  16. 

\2    p.  75.  Defective  Ethics  —  Literature  of  the  Subject. 

1.  Ralph    Wardlaw.     Christian    Ethics,    or    Moral 

Philosophy  on  the  Principles  of  Divine  Revelation 
(1833).  With  Introductory  Essay  by  Leonard 
Woods.     New  York,  1835. 

2.  William  Thomas  Thornton.  Old-Fashioned  Eth- 
ics and  Common-Sense  Metaphysics.     London, 

1874. 

3.  Thomas  Rawson  Birks.  Modern  Utilitarianism. 
London,  1874. 

4.  John  Stuart  Blackie.     Four   Phases  of  Morals. 

Second  edition,  Edinburgh,  1874. 

5.  Richard  Travers  Smith.     Religion  and  Morality. 

London  :  Soc.  Prom.  Chris.  Knowledge. 

6.  y.  Gregory  Smith.  Characteristics  of  Christian 
Morality.  Bampton  Lectures,  1S73.  Sec.  ed. 
London,  1876. 

7.  C.  S.  Henry.  Satan  as  a  Moral  Philosopher; 
with   other   Essays  and   Sketches.     New  York, 

1877. 

8.  A.  Neander.     Geschichte  der  christlichen  Ethik. 

Berlin,  1864. 

9.  H.  Fr.  Th.  L.  Ernesti.  Die  Ethik  des  Apostels 
Paulus.     Drit.  Auf.     Gottingen,  1880. 


440  APPENDIX. 

10.  Chas.    Ernst    Luthardt.      Die    Ethik    Luthers. 
Zweite  Auf.    Leipzig,  1875. 

11.  P.    Lobstem.      Die    Ethik    Calvins.      Strasburg, 

1877. 

13.  p.  80.  Richard  Baxter.  Practical  Works,  in  twenty- three 
volumes.  London,  1830.  Vols.  II-VI.  **A 
Christian  Directory ;  or,  a  Sum  of  Practical  The- 
ology." In  four  parts :  I,  Christian  Ethics  (or 
Private  Duties) ;  II,  Christian  Economics  (or 
Family  Duties) ;  III,  Christian  Ecclesiastics  (or 
Church  Duties) ;  IV,  Christian  Politics  (or  Du- 
ties to  our  Rulers  and  Neighbors). 

Ralph  Wardlaw.  Christian  Ethics;  or,  Moral  Phi- 
losophy on  the  Principles  of  Divine  Revelation 
(1833).     New  York,  1835. 

William  Whewell.  The  Elements  of  Morality,  Book 
IV,  p.  18. 

William  Fleming,  D.D.,  late  Professor  of  Moral  Phi- 
losophy in  the  University  of  Glasgow.  London, 
1867. 

Thomas  Rawson  Birks,  First  Principles  of  Moral 
Science.     London,  1873. 

y.  Gregory  Smith.  Characteristics  of  Christian  Mo- 
rality.    Second  ed.    London,  1876,  pp.  64-78-80. 

William  Sewell.     Christian  Morals.     London,  1841. 

C.  A.  Row.  The  Moral  Teaching  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment.    London,  1873. 

Henry  Wace.  Christianity  and  Morality.  The  Boyle 
Lectures  for  1874  and  1875.  Sixth  edition.  Lon- 
don, 1883. 

Thomas  Fowler.  Progressive  Morality.  London, 
1884. 

G.  Chr.  Adolph  von  Harless.  Christian  Ethics,  trans- 
lated by  Lacroix.     2  vols.     1872. 

Adolph  Wiittke.  Moral  Truths  of  Christianity,  trans- 
lated by  Sophia  Taylor. 


APPENDIX.  441 

Chr.  Ernst  Luthardt.  Translated  from  the  German 
by  Sophia  Taylor.     Edinburgh,  18S2  (§  147-150). 

H.  Marteiisen.  Christian  Ethics,  Second  Division. 
Translated  by  Sophia  Taylor.     Edinburgh,  1882. 

PP-  333-339- 

Christian  Palmer.  Die  Moral  des  Christenthums. 
Stuttgart,  1864  (405,  408). 

y.  P.  Lange.  Grundriss  der  christlichen  Ethik.  Hei- 
delberg, 1878  (189,  190). 

14.  p.  81.    Frederick  D.  Maicrice.     Social  Morality.     Twenty-one 

Lectures  delivered  in  the  University  of  Cam- 
bridge, 1869.     Second  edition.     London,  1872. 

Thomas  Rawson  Birks.  Modern  Utilitarianism.  Lon- 
don, 1874. 

Henry  Sidozuick,  Praelector  in  Moral  and  Political 
Philosophy  in  Trinity  College,  Cambridge.  The 
Method  of  Ethics.     Second  ed.     London,  1877. 

Richard  Travers  Smith.  Religion  and  Morality. 
London  (Soc.  for  P.  C.  Knowledge). 

15.  p.  85.    One  man  at  least  preached  on  the  "  Utility  of  Eternal 

Bliss."  Lieber  says  that  he  had  met  with  a  Ger- 
man sermon  in  pamphlet  form  entitled  **Ueber 
den  Nutzen  ewiger  Gliickseligkeit. "  —  Political 
Ethics,  II,  p.  20j. 

16.  p.  90.   Four  books,  wherein  is  contained  the  whole  economy 

of  God  toward  man,  and  the  whole  duty  of  man 
toward  God.      Translated  by  Anthony   William 
Boehm.     2   vols.     London,   17 12-17 14.     pp.  LX 
+  603;  XVII -f  599. 
Christus  multos  habet  ministros,  paucos  imitatores. 

1 7'  P-  93*  Ii^  Pietas  Hallensis,  London,  1705,  p.  209,  note,  is  a 
statement  relating  to  this  work  of  Arndt,  which 
will  seem  exaggerated  :  "  Many  millions  of  souls 


442  APPENDIX. 

have  been  awakened  from  lifeless  formality  into 
an  inward  sense  of  religion." 
**  This  book  has  made  a  Christian  of  me,"  said 
Geier,  the  predecessor  of  Spener. 

18.  p.  113.   Leopold  Ernesti.     Pastor  Bonus.     Passavias,  MDCC- 

LXIV.     Sexta  Pars,  529-571. 

Christian  Palmer.  Evangelische  Pastoral-Theologie, 
Zweite  Auf.     1863,  S.  343-48. 

Isaac  Watts.     A  Guide  to  Prayer.     See  his  Works. 

John  Mason.  The  Student  and  the  Pastor  (1775). 
Chap.  V. 

Ebetiezer  Porter.  Lectures  on  Homilctics  and  Preach- 
ing, and  on  Public  Prayer.  Andover,  1S34.  283- 
320. 

Heman  Htimphrey.  Thirty-four  Letters  to  a  Son  in 
the  Ministry.     Amherst,  1842.     1 61-165. 

Samuel  Miller.  Thoughts  on  Public  Prayer.  Phila- 
delphia, 1849. 

William  Garden  Blaikie.  For  the  Work  of  the 
Ministry.    Third  edition.    London,  18S3.    173-80. 

19.  p.  116.   Pantheism  in  the  person  of  Theodore  Parker  ejacu- 

lates: "O  Thou  Infinite  Mother!"  "O  Thou 
Perpetual  Presence  1  "  "  The  materiality  of  mate- 
rial things,  the  spirituality  of  our  spirit,  the  mov- 
ingest  thing  in  motion,  the  livingest  thing  in  life, 
the  all-transcending  in  what  is  transcendent ; ' ' 
"Loving  the  sinner  as  Thou  dost  the  saint;  " 
"We  bless  Thee  for  all  the  various  denomina- 
tions on  the  earth,  thanking  Thee  that  their 
several  faiths  —  whether  heathen,  or  Greek,  or 
Jew,  or  Christian  —  is  to  them  of  such  infinite 
worth."  —  Prayers  by  Theodore  Parker^  Boston, 
1862.     pp.  64,  135,  172,  194,  195. 

20.  p.  I2C.    At  the  Episcopal  Convention  held  in  Chicago,   1SS6, 

the  Plouse  of  Deputies  —  the  House  of  Bishops 


APPENDIX.  443 

concurring  —  adopted  various  alterations  in  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer.  Among  them  this 
was  inserted  in  the  Litany:  "That  it  may  please 
Thee  to  send  forth  laborers  into  thine  harvest,  we 
beseech." 

21.  p.  120.    G.  H.  Wilkinson.     Thoughts  for  the  Day  of   Inter- 

cession.    Nineteenth  thousand.     London. 

W.  Walsham  How.  Thoughts  for  Observing  the 
Day  of  Intercession.     London. 

Missionary  Devotions  for  Private  and  Social  Use. 
By  a  Presbyter  of  the  Church  of  England.  Ox- 
ford, 1838. 

Fifty  Missionar}^-  Hymns.  With  a  Selection  of  Prayers 
for  Use  at  Church  Missionary  Meetings.  Church 
Missionary  Society.     London. 

The  Cuddesdon  Manual  of  Intercession  for  Missions. 

Missionary  Prayers  for  Private  and  Family  Use.  Lon- 
don, 1874. 

A  Manual  of  Prayers,  Intercessions,  Thanksgivings, 
in  behalf  of  Missions  and  Missionaries,  appointed 
to  be  used  daily  and  on  special  occasions  in  the 
chapel  in  the  house  of  the  Society  for  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts.  3d  edition. 
London,  1880. 

22.  p.  121.    The  following  form  was  introduced  under  Frederick 

William  IV :  Segne  die  Atisbreitiing Dcines  Reiches 
tinter  Heiden  tind  Jiiden,  und  lass  Dir  die  Arbei- 
ten  Deiner  Knechte  an  diesem  Werke  wohlge- 
fallen. 

23.  p.  121.   Kittan.     Missionsgeschichte   nebst    einem   Anhange 

enthaltend  Versikel  und  Collekten  zum  Ge- 
brauch  bei  Missionsstunden  und  Missionsfesten. 
Leipzig,  1866. 


444  APPENDIX. 

Hilfsbiichlein  fiir  die  Mission sarbeit  in  den  heim- 
athlichen  Gemeinden.     Breslau,  1867. 

A.  Petri.  Missions-Agende.  Eine  Sammlung  litur- 
gischen  und  homiletischen  Materials  zum  Ge- 
brauch  bei  Missions- Gottesdiensten.  2te  Aufl. 
Giitersloh,  1876. 

24.  p.  124.    Manent  itaque  tria  hcec,  ve7'biim,  exejnplum,    oraiio, 

major  autem  his  est  oratio.   S.  Bernard,  Epist.  201. 
Gratia  atitem  ovibus  dari  noii  solet,  Jtisi  per  orationem 
pastoris.     Ernesti,  Pastor  Bonus,  530. 

25.  p.   130.    Gebetbtich,   entlialtend   die  sammtlichen  Gebete  und 

Seufzer  Dr.  Martin  Luthers  wie  auch  Gebete  von 
Melanchthon,  Bugenhagen,  Matthesius,  Haber- 
mann,  Arndt,  und  andren  Gott-erleucliteten  Man- 
nern.  Dritte  Auflage.  Berlin,  1866. 
A  Liturgy  for  Evangelical  Congregations  in  the  Prov- 
ince of  Brandenburg,  1853,  contains  selections 
from  between  forty  and  fifty  authors — nearly 
nine  hundred  {890)  specimens.  Three  short 
prayers  (867-869),  under  the  heading  of  "  The 
Extension  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  among  the 
Heathen  and  Jews,"  are  designed  for  missionary 
meetings. 

26.  p.  140.    Ideo  ab  aliis  curis  atque  negotiis,  quibus   ipsum   de- 

siderium  quodam  modo  tepescit,  certis  horis  ad 
negotium  orandi  mentem  revocamus,  verbis  ora- 
tionis  nos  ipsos  admonentes  in  id,  quod  deside- 
ramus  intendere ;  ne  quod  tepescere  coeperat, 
omnino  frigescat,  et  penitus  extinguatur,  nisi  cre- 
brius  inflammetur.  —  August.  Epist.  121,  ad 
Probuni . 

27.  p.  14J.   July  21,   1744.     "I    exceedingly    longed    that    God 

would  get  to  himself  a  name  among  the  heathen ; 
and  I  appealed  to  him  with  the  greatest  freedom, 


APPENDIX.  445 

that  I  knew  I  preferred  him  above  my  chief  joy. 
Indeed  I  had  no  notion  of  joy  from  this  world. 
I  cared  not  how  or  where  I  lived,  or  what  hard- 
ships I  went  through,  so  that  I  could  but  gain 
souls  to  Christ.  I  continued  in  this  frame  all  the 
evening  and  night.  When  I  was  asleep  I  dreamed 
of  these  things ;  and  when  I  waked  (as  I  fre- 
quently did)  the  first  thing  I  thought  of  was  this 
great  work  of  pleading  for  God  against  Satan." 
—  Edwards's  Life  of  Brainerd^  p.  ijo. 

28.  p.  152.    Literature  of  the  Subject. 

1.  Leopold  Ernesti,  Pastor  Bonus.  Passaviae  MD- 
CCLXIV,  Sexta  Pars.     529-571. 

2.  Christian  Palmer.  Evangelische  Pastoral- The- 
ologie.   Zweite  Auf.    Stuttgart,  1863.    S.  343-348. 

3.  Lsaac  Watts.     A  Guide  to  Prayer.     See  his  works. 

4.  JoJm  Mason.     The    Student    and  Pastor  (1775). 

Chap.  V. 

5.  Edward  Bickersteth.  A  Treatise  on  Prayer.  Lon- 
don, 1819.     Chap.  XI. 

6.  Ebenezer  Porter.      Lectures   on   Homiletics   and 

Preaching,  and  on  Public  Prayer.  Andover, 
1834.     283-320. 

7.  Henian  Humphrey,  Thirty-four  Letters  to  a  Son 
in  the  Ministr}\     Amherst,  1842.     161-165. 

8.  Samuel  Miller.       Thoughts    on    Public    Prayer. 

Philadelphia,  1842. 

9.  William  Garden  Blaikie.  For  the  Work  of  the 
Ministry.  Third  edition.  London,  1883.  173- 
180. 

29.  p.  161.   Chrysostom  does  indeed  furnish  one  happy  exception. 

It  is  a  relief  to  light  on  a  passage  like  this :  "  He 
did  not  at  all  say,  *  Thy  will  be  done  in  me,'  or 
'in  us,'  but  everywhere  on  the  earth;  so  that 
error  may  be  destroyed  and  truth  implanted,  and 


446  APPENDIX. 

all  wickedness  cast  out,  and  virtue  return,  and  no 
difference  in  this  respect  be  henceforth  between 
heaven  and  earth."  —  Hotnilies  on  the  Gospel  of 
St.  MattheWy  in  loc. 

30.  p.  166.   Hermann    Witsius   (i  636-1 708).      Exercitationes    \\\ 

Orationem  Dominicam.     Translated,  with  notes, 
by  William  Pringle.     Edinburgh,  1839.     pp.  209- 
265. 
Isaac  Barrow  (i 630-1 667).      An   Exposition   of    the 
Lord's  Prayer.     Works,     Edinburgh,    1841.     II, 

PP-  554,  555- 
Jeremy    Taylor   (1613-1667).     Whole  Works.     Lon- 
don, 1844.     I,  pp.  226,  227.     Ill,  Postulanda,  p. 

Robert  Leighton  (161 2-1 684).  Exposition  of  the  Lord's 
Prayer.  Whole  Works.  New  York,  1S44,  pp. 
605-610. 

31.  p.  169.   The  Assembly's  Shorter  Catechism  Explained.     "By 

some  ministers  of  the  gospel."  First  edition 
(1753).  By  Ebenezer  Erskine  and  James  Fisher. 
Third  edition  (1765),  with  James  Fisher's  Adver- 
tisement, and  since  known  as  Fisher's  Catechism. 

An  Illustration  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Christian  Re- 
ligion, with  respect  to  faith  and  practice,  upon 
the  plan  of  the  Assembly's  Shorter  Catechism. 
Comprehending  a  Complete  Body  of  Divinity. 
3  vols.     Edinburgh,  1796. 

One  notable  exception  is  that  of  the  excellent  Scottish 
divine,  Thomas  Boston  (1676-1732),  author  of 
The  Fourfold  State^  and  oiher  works.  He  re- 
marks (p.  416) :  "  That  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord 
will  triumph  over  all  its  enemies  and  drive  out  all 
opposition.     For  if  what  two  agree  on  earth,  as 


APPENDIX.  447 

touching  anything  that  they  shall  ask  (Matt,  xviii : 
19),  shall  be  done  for  them,  much  more  what  all 
the  saints  on  earth  make  their  joint  request.  The 
Devil's  kingdom  and  Antichrist's  kingdom, though 
malignants  lend  their  hand  to  carry  it  on,  shall 
fall  before  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints,  and  they 
in  the  ruins  of  it,  if  they  quit  not  the  Antichris- 
tian  interest.  If  Christ's  kingdom  were  ever  so 
low  the  joint  prayers  of  the  saints  will  raise  it  up." 
Contemporary  with  Thomas  Boston  was  Thomas 
Ridgley  (i 666-1 734),  an  eminent  Nonconformist, 
who  established  a  theological  school  (17 12),  and 
was  the  author  of  a  Body  of  Divitiity  composed 
of  lectures  on  the  Assembly's  Larger  Catechism. 
In  an  extended  prayer,  with  which  he  closed  his  re- 
marks on  the  second  petition,  occur  these  breath- 
ings :  "  We  also  beg  that  Thou  wouldst  take  to 
thyself  thy  great  power  and  reign.  Let  Satan's 
kingdom  be  destroyed,  thy  gospel  propagated, 
throughout  the  world.  May  thine  ancient  people, 
the  Jews,  who  now  refuse  that  thou  shouldst 
reign  over  them,  be  called  and  inclined  to  own 
Thee  as  their  king;  and  may  the  dark  parts  of  the 
earth  see  thy  salvation."  Two  vols,  folio.  Lon- 
don, 1731-33- 

32.  p.  170.  John  Brown.  An  essay  towards  an  easy,  plain, 
practical,  and  extensive  explanation  of  the  As- 
sembly's Shorter  Catechism.     1758. 

Alexander  Smith  Patterson.  A  Concise  System  of 
Theology  on  the  Basis  of  the  Shorter  Catechism. 
Edinburgh,  1S41. 

Ashbel  Green.  Lectures  on  the  Shorter  Catechism. 
2  vols.  Philadelphia :  Pres.  Board  of  Publica- 
tion, 1 84 1. 


44B  APPENDIX. 

A.  Bonnet.  Meditations  on  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
translated  from  the  French  by  William  Hare. 
New  York,  1847. 

33.  p.  170.   Augtcst  F.  Tholuck.     Commentary  on  the  Sermon  on 

the  Mount.  Translated  by  R.  Lundy  Brown. 
Philadelphia,  i860,  pp.  334-341. 

Frederick  D.  Maurice.  The  Lord's  Prayer.  Nine 
Sermons  preached  in  1848.     London,  1880. 

William  R.  Williams.  Lectures  on  the  Lord's  Prayer. 
Boston,  1851. 

John  Gumming.  Teach  Us  to  Pray.  New  York, 
1862.  Chapter  IV,  on  the  words  "Thy  king- 
dom," is  entitled  "  A  Missionary  Desire." 

George  D.  Boardman.  Studies  in  the  Model  Prayer. 
New  York,  1879. 

Washingtojt  Gladdeji.  The  Lord's  Prayer.  Seven 
Homilies.     Boston  and  New  York,  1886. 

Marcus  Dods.  The  Prayer  that  Teaches  to  Pray. 
Fifth  edition.     London,  1885. 

34.  p.  170.    Stier,  in  his  "Words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  remarks: 

"  That  Christendom  has  prayed  this  second  pe- 
tition so  long,  and  prays  it  now  so  much,  without 
the  corresponding  missionary  impulse  and  mis- 
sionary work,  is  the  most  mournful  evidence  that 
could  be  adduced  of  the  great  blindness  which 
opposes  everywhere  this  prayer  and  its  words  of 
light."  Translated  by  William  B.  Pope.  Edin- 
burgh, 1855.     I,  222. 

35.  p.  172.    It  illustrates   the   still    lingering   dimness   of    poetic 

vision  that  a  book  could  be  published  in  Ger- 
many, no  longer  ago  than  fifty  years  since,  wi  h 
selections  from  fourscore  writers  of  verses  on 
the  Lord's  Prayer,  none  of  which  show  any 
adequate  apprehension  of  the  compass  there  is  in 


APPENDIX.  449 

the  earlier  petitions.  The  extracts  are  from 
Aschenfeldt,  M.  G.  Fisher,  Klopstock,  Tiedge, 
and  so  on,  all  of  whom  appear  to  have  in  mind 
personal  benefits — "May  thy  kingdom  come  to 
us."  Das  Vater  Unser :  In  acht  und  achtzig 
Bearbeitungen.  Ein  Erbauungsbuch  fUr  jedeu 
Christen.  2te  Aus.  Leipzig,  1S24. 
Zu  uns  komme  Dein  Reich. 

26.  p.  173.  It  was  entitled :  "  A  Prayer  to  the  Lord  to  send 
faithful  laborers  into  his  harvest,  that  his  Word 
may  be  spread  over  all  the  world."  In  the  origi- 
nal there  are  fourteen  verses. 

"  Awake,  Thou  Spirit,  who  of  old 

Didst  fire  the  watchmen  of  the  Church's  youth ; 
Who  faced  the  foe,  unshrinking,  bold, 

Who  witnessed  day  and  night  tlie  eternal  truth, 
Whose  voices  through  the  world  are  ringing  still, 
And  bringing  hosts  to  know  and  do  Thy  will. 

And  let  Thy  word  have  speedy  course. 

Through  every  land  the  truth  be  glorified, 
Till  all  the  heathen  know  its  force, 

And  gather  to  thy  churches  far  and  wide ; 
And  waken  Israel  from  her  sleep,  O  Lord  ! 
Thus  bless  and  spread  the  conquests  of  Thy  word." 

— Ljyra  Gertnanica,  first  series,  pp.  41,  42, 

Zl'  P-  175"  In  the  first  edition  of  John  Rippon's  Selection  (1787), 
under  this  heading,  "  The  Church's  Glory  Prayed 
For,"  four  missionary  hymns  are  given.  In  the 
tenth  edition  (iSoo)  there  are  twenty  hymns  un- 
der the  heading,  "  Monthly  and  Missionary 
Prayer  Meetmgs."  John  Dobell's  selection 
(1806)  contains  thirteen,  and  Dr.  Nettleton's 
** Village  Hymns"  (1824)  fourteen  such.  The 
"Baptist  Psalmist"  (1S43)  has  over  seventy. 
The  relative  space  devoted  to  this  department  in 


450  APPENDIX. 

books  compiled  for  social  worship  is  to  some  ex- 
tent a  gauge  of  the  growing  missionary  spirit. 
We  now  have  separate  collections  of  this  kind. 
One  of  earlier  date  is  :  *'  A  Missionary  Hymn 
Book,  or  Hymns  adapted  to  Missionary  Subjects, 
and  designed  for  the  use  of  Christians  of  all  de- 
nominations. By  John  Lawson.  Calcutta: 
Printed  at  the  Baptist  Mission  Press,  Circular 
Road,  182 1.  263  selections.  Recommended  by 
W.  Carey,  J.  Marshman,  and  nine  other  gentle- 
men; also  by  H.  Bardwell  and  H.  Hough."  It 
contains  one  hymn  by  Carey,  two  by  Ward,  and 
three  by  Marshman.  Another,  very  small,  was 
by  William  Shrubsole  (born  1759,  died  1829),  one 
of  the  first  Directors  and  Secretaries  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society,  and  he  was  himself  the 
writer  of  most  if  not  all  the  hymns  which  it  con- 
tains. They  may  be  found  in  Dr.  John  Morri- 
son's "  Fathers  and  Founders  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society.  London,  1844,  pp.  149-153." 
Dr.  Platfield  says  that  all  in  Shrubsole's  volume 
were  reproduced  in  this  work  of  Morrison.  See 
"Poets  of  the  Church,"  p.  560. 
We  are  familiar  with  two  of  them  : 

"  Zion,  awake  !  thy  strength  renew." 
"  Arm  of  the  Lord,  awake,  awake  !  " 

38.  p.  184.  "  We  whose  names  are  subscribed,  being  moved,  as 
we  hope  and  trust,  by  a  real  concern  for  the 
propagation  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  the  world, 
have  determined  to  form  ourselves  into  a  society 
for  that  end,  on  the  fo' lowing  terms  : 
I.  That  we  propose,  as  God  shall  enab'e  us,  to 
be  daily  putting  up  some  earnest  petitions  to  the 
throne  of  grace  for  the  advancement  of  the  gos- 
pel in  the  world,  and  for  the  success  of  all  the 


APPENDIX.  45 1 

faithful  servants  of  Christ  who  are  engaged  in 
the  work  of  it,  especially  among  the  heathen  na- 
tions. 

II.  That  we  will  assemble  at  least  four  times  a  year, 
in  our  place  of  public  worship,  at  such  seasons  as 
shall  by  mutual  consent  be  appointed,  to  spend 
some  time  in  solemn  prayer  together  on  this  im- 
portant account;  and  we  hereby  engage  that  we 
will,  each  of  us,  if  we  conveniently  can,  attend 
such  meetings  unless  such  circumstances  hap- 
pen as  to  lead  us  in  our  own  conscience  to  conclude 
that  it  will  be  more  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God 
that  we  should  be  employed  in  some  other  busi- 
ness elsewhere. 

III.  We  do  hereby  express  our  desire  that  some 
time  may  be  spent,  if  God  give  an  opportunity,  in 
reviewing  those  promises  of  Scripture  which  re- 
late to  the  establishment  of  our  Redeemer's  king- 
dom in  the  world;  that  our  faith  may  be  sup- 
ported and  our  prayers  quickened  by  the  contem- 
plation of  them. 

IV.  It  is  also  our  desire  that,  whatever  important  in- 
formations relating  to  the  progress  of  the  gospel 
be  received  from  the  various  parts  of  this  king- 
dom, or  from  foreign  lands,  by  any  member  of 
the  society,  they  may  be  communicated  to  us  at 
our  general  quarterly  meetings ;  and  the  rest  of 
us  make  it  our  request  to  our  minister  that  he 
will,  where  he  can  with  convenience  do  it,  keep 
up  such  correspondences ;  that  we  may  be  more 
capable  of  judging  how  far  God  answers  our 
prayers  and  those  of  his  other  servants  in  this 
regard. 

V.  We  further  engage  that  on  these  days  of  general 
meeting  every  one  of  us  will,  as  God  shall  be 
pleased  to  prosper  us,  contribute  something,  be  it 
ever  so  little,  towards  the   carrying  on  of  this 


452  APPENDIX. 

pious  design,  which  shall  be  lodged  in  the  hands 
of  a  treasurer,  to  be  chosen  at  the  first  meeting, 
to  be  disposed  of  by  him  and  four  other  trustees, 
then  also  to  be  appointed,  in  such  manner  as 
they  shall  judge  most  convenient  towards  sup- 
porting the  expense  of  sending  missionaries 
abroad;  printing  Bibles  or  other  useful  books 
in  foreign  languages ;  establishing  schools  for  the 
instruction  of  the  ignorant,  and  the  like."  —  Mis- 
cella7ieous  Works.     London,  1839.     p.  896. 

39.  p.  186.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas,  author  of  a  History  of  the 

Baptist  Churches  in  Wales,  speaks  of  concerted 
weekly  hours  appointed  by  an  association  in  that 
principality  as  early  as  1767.  —  E.  B.  Underhill. 
Christian  Missions  in  the  East  and  West.  Lon- 
don, 1873.     p.  4. 

40.  p.  187.   Dr.  Edward  Williams,  soon  to  become  principal  of  the 

Independent  College  in  Yorkshire,  prepared 
(1793)  by  request  a  circular  letter,  addressed  to 
the  ministers  of  Warwickshire,  with  a  view  to 
awakening  a  deeper  interest  in  the  diffusion  of 
evangelical  truth  at  home  and  abroad.  The  sup- 
port of  missionaries  in  foreign  lands  was  one 
object  distinctly  named.  This  appeal,  which  was 
designed  also  for  all  ministers  throughout  Eng- 
land and  Wales,  led  to  the  establishment  of 
monthly  prayer  meetings  for  the  spread  of  the 
gospel.  At  the  opening  of  the  present  century 
twelve  dissenting  congregations  of  London  were 
united  in  a  monthly  meeting  of  this  sort,  which 
was  held  in  each  church  successively.  Fourteen 
years  later  there  were  two  such  circuits,  and  after 
three  years  more  five  union  meetings  rotating 
through  twelve  churches.     By   1822  the   attend- 


APPENDIX.  453 

ance  had  become  quite  small.  —  Morrison" s 
Fathers  and  Founders  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society,  438-9. 

41.   p.  193.    Literature  of  the  Subject. 

1.  Jonathan  Edwards.     Humble    Attempt.     Works 

(Dwight's  Edition).     Vol.  Ill,  437-547. 

2.  Enoch  Pond.     Short   Missionary  Discussions,   or 

Monthly  Concert  Lectures.     Worcester,  1S24. 

3.  John  B.   Melson.      "  Who    is    my    Neighbor  ? " 

London,  1842,  pp.  370-390. 

4.  John  Harris.     The  Great  Commission.     Boston, 

1843,  pp.  273-5,  280. 

5.  John  Macfarla7ie.     The  Jubilee   of   the    World. 
Glasgow,  1843,  PP-  176-201. 

6.  Samuel  Miller.     Letters  on  the  Observance  of  the 

Monthly  Concert  in  Prayer,  1845.  Presbyterian 
Board  of  Publication. 

7.  Th.  Kittan.     Missionsgebete.     Leipzig,  1866. 

8.  G.    Warneck.      Missionsstunden,    Zweiter   Band. 
Giitersloh.     I,  145-156. 

9.  Various  Papers,  Articles,  dj^c. 

(a)  Missionary  Herald,Vol.  35  (1839),  pp.  120-123. 

(b)  The  Use  of  Missionary  Maps  :    an  Address. 

American  Board,  1842. 

(c)  The   Monthly   Concert.      By  J.   B.   Condit. 

An.  Report  of  Am.  Board,  1868.  Also  a 
separate  "  Missionary  Paper." 

(d)  Pray  Less  or  Do   More.     By   Hollis    Reed. 

A  *'  Missionary  Paper."  Also  reproduced 
in  the  Missionary  Review  (18S1),  Vol.  IV, 
PP-  357-362. 

(e)  Plea  for  the    Monthly  Concert.      By   A.    L. 

Stone.     A  "  Missionary  Paper." 

(f)  The  Monthly  Concert.     By  S.  J.  Humphrey, 

Missionary  Herald,  1880.  Also  a  separate 
"  Missionary  Paper." 


454  APPENDIX. 

(g)     The  Missionary  Review.    Arthur  T.  Pierson. 

Vol.  I,  pp.  65-69. 
(h)     Successful  Missionary  Concert.    A   Leaflet 

of  the  American  Board. 
(i)     The  Prayer  Meeting  and  its  Improvement. 

By  Lewis  O.  Thompson.     Chicago,    1S78- 

1881.     Chap.  XXII,  205-210. 
(j)     How  to    Conduct    Prayer    Meetings.      By 

Lewis  O.  Thompson.    Boston,  1880.    Chap. 

XV,  pp.  145-157. 

(k)    Catholic  Presbyterian.    VIII  (1882),  pp.  327- 

337. 
(1)     The   Forei.^n  Missionary.    By  Arthur  Mit 

chell,  Vol.  XLII  (18S5),  pp.  544-547- 
(m)     Missionary   Herald.      E.   E.    Strong.     Vol 

LXXXI  (1885),  pp.  265-268. 

42.  p.  211.   This  appears  to  have  been  a  service  with  a  discourse 

rather  than  distinctively  a  prayer  meeting.  The 
third  article  in  the  plan  of  union  reads  thus  : 
"That  the  order  of  service  be  as  follows:  i. 
The  singing  of  a  psalm,  prayer,  and  a  short  dis- 
course or  lecture  adapted  to  the  occasion.  2.  A 
prayer.  3.  The  singing  of  a  psalm,  prayer,  the 
singing  of  another  psalm,  a  collection,  and  then 
the  blessing  to  be  pronounced." 

43.  p.  211.   Soon  after  the  ordination  (Feb.  6,  1812)  of  the  first 

American  foreign  missionaries  at  Salem,  Massa- 
chusetts, the  Tabernacle  Church  in  that  city  be- 
gan regularly  to  observe  the  monthly  concert  of 
prayer  in  specific  accord  with  such  Christians  in 
Great  Britain  as,  since  missionaries  went  forth 
from  that  country,  had  devoted  the  first  Monday 
evening  of  each  month  to  intercession,  both  social 
and  secret,  for  the  success  of  those  heralds  of 
mercy.  —  Life  and  Letters  of  Samuel  Worcester. 
II,  234-5- 


APPENDIX.  455 

44.  p.  212.   In    1847    the    General    Assembly   icpresented    it    as 

widely  observed;  but  previously  (1832)  had 
recommended  that  the  first  Monday  in  the  year 
be  observed  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  "  for 
the  entire  success  of  those  benevolent  enterprises 
which  have  for  their  direct  object  the  world's 
conversion  to  God."  Ecclesiastical  bodies  in 
New  England  concurred.  At  its  annual  meeting 
in  Philadelphia,  1841,  the  American  Board  ap- 
pointed a  special  committee  to  prepare  a  missicn- 
ary  paper  setting  forth  the  importance  of  this 
subject,  with  details  of  methods,  which  should  be 
addressed  specially  to  pastors  of  churches. 

45.  p.  213.   For  a  twelvemonth  before   that    the    Rev.  Joshua 

Huntington,  pastor  of  the  Old  South  Church, 
used  to  meet  with  a  few  of  his  people  to  pray  for 
the  conversion  of  the  heathen.  A  similar  meet- 
ing had  been  begun  at  Park  Street  Church  be- 
fore the  settlement  of  Rev.  Sereno  E.  Dwight 
(Sept.,  1817). 

46.  p.  214.   The  Essex  Street  Church  was  also  afterwards  (1820) 

invited.  Later  separate  concerts  of  prayer  were 
instituted  by  different  churches  in  the  city  — 
Salem  Church,  1833;  Bowdoin  Street  Church, 
1834;  Essex  Street  and  Pine  Street  united  meet- 
ing, 1837.  Churches  formed  subsequently  — 
Franklin  Street  (now  the  Central),  Garden  Street, 
and  Mt.  Vernon  —  joined  the  old  union,  while 
others  also  for  a  time  returned  to  the  parent 
gathering. 

47.  p.  215.   This  too  was  found,  as  will  generally  be  the  case,  that 

whenever  excessive  reliance  was  placed  upon  the 
presence  of  a  t^ecretary  of  the  Foreign  Board,  and 
whenever  pastors  failed  to  feel  a  personal  respon- 
sibility in  maintaining  the  concert,  it  declined. 


45^  APPENDIX. 

48.  p.  222.   It  was  found  in  1S69  that  of  849  churches,  751   ob- 

served the  concert  Sabbath  evening  and  98  on  a 
week-day  evening.  Out  of  the  9S5  churches 
which  reported,  849  held  the  meeting  and  136  did 
not  hold  it  at  2\\.— Report  of  A.  B.  C.  F.  M., 
1869,  pp.  30-37. 

49.  p.  234.   Dr.  Edward  W.  Hooker,  then   pastor   of  the   First 

Congregational  Church,  Bennington,  Vt.,  had 
endeavored,  by  description  alone,  to  set  before 
his  people  the  moral  condition  of  a  large  part  of 
the  world.  He  says:  "But  after  all  I  failed  of 
accomplishing  the  impressions  I  wished.  My 
hearers  did  not  see  the  lost  world  as  it  is ;  and 
there  was  clearly  something  more  to  be  done  than 
to  describe  and  give  statistics,  and  work  by  arith- 
metic. I  recollected  Jeremiah's  words :  '  Mine 
eye  affecteth  my  heart ; '  and  he  seemed  to  have 
understood  the  philosophy  of  feeling  and  the 
means  of  awakening  it.  I  resolved  on  one  more 
experiment  by  which,  if  possible,  to  make  the 
subject  of  the  world's  real  condition  preach  to  the 
hearts  of  my  people  through  their  eyes.  I  em- 
ployed a  carpenter  to  make  me  a  board  of  light  ma- 
terial, seven  feet  in  length  and  five  in  breadth,  and 
painted  as  pure  a  white  as  possible ;  with  liandles 
for  carrying,  and  a  ring  by  which  it  could  be 
suspended.  This  idea  was  suggested  to  me  by 
the  use  of  the  blackboard  in  schools  and  acade- 
mies. I  drew  on  my  white  board  (on  as  large  a 
scale  as  its  dimensions  would  allow,  and  so  that 
it  could  be  seen  in  the  most  distant  part  of  our 
meeting-house)  that  dark  and  gloomy  *  Map  of  the 
Evangelical  Condition  of  the  World,'  some  time 
since  published  by  the  American  Sunday- School 
Union.  It  exhibited  every  country  on  the  globe 
destitute  of   Protestant  Christianity,  with  a  sur- 


APPENDIX.  457 

face  as  dark  as  India  ink  could  make  it.  I  pre- 
pared a  sermon  on  these  two  texts  combined: 
Ps.  74:20,  'The  dark  places  of  the  earth,*  and 
Ps.  107 :  10,  '  Such  as  sit  in  darkness  and  the 
shadow  of  death.'  On  the  intermission  of  the 
Sabbath  —  on  the  evening  of  which  our  monthly 
concert  was  to  be  held  —  with  the  assistance  of 
my  carpenter,  I  suspended  my  white  board  above 
my  pulpit,  so  that  it  should  be  in  fair  view  of  the 
congregation ;  and  standing  before  it,  proceeded 
to  preach  my  sermon.  I  described  each  country 
very  much  as  I  had  done  before,  but  illustrating 
everything  local  by  turning  to  my  map  and 
pointing  out  all  with  a  staff.  That  dark  and 
gloomy  map  did  the  work  which  I  had  not  been 
able  to  accomplish  with  my  most  painstaking  and 
earnest  preaching.  It  accomplished  the  distinct 
and  solemn  impression  that  indeed  *  the  world 
lieth  in  wickedness.'  In  the  evening  of  that  day 
the  attendance  at  our  monthly  concert  was 
doubled ;  and  when  the  brethren  who  were  called 
upon  prayed,  they  prayed  as  I  never  heard  them 
before;  as  though  they  had  seen  the  darkness 
which  covers  the  earth  —  the  gross  darkness 
which  covers  the  people." 

50.  p.  249.    Social  prayer  meetings  had  long  been  unknown  in 

the  church.  Mr.  Storrs  instituted  them  at  once. 
For  almost  a  half-year  he  could  not  persuade  a 
single  layman  to  offer  a  prayer  or  utter  a  loud 
word  at  such  conferences.  —  Prof.  Park's  Sermon 
at  Funeral  of  Dr.  Storrs^  p.  53. 

51.  p.  259.    George  S.  Rowe.    The  Life  of  John  Hunt,  Mission- 

ary to  the  Cannibals  in  Fiji.  London,  1879. 
p.  266. 


45^  APPENDIX. 


Rufus  Anderson.  History  of  the  Sandwich  Islands 
Mission.     Boston,  1871.    p.  321. 

The  Rev.  W.  G.  Blaikie,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  writing  of 
the  Free  Assembly  of  Scotland  for  1886,  and  its 
"most  popular  moderator,"  says  in  the  New  York 
Observer:  *' Dr.  Somerville  introduced  a  new 
feature  in  his  opening  prayer.  In  unison  with 
his  ruling  idea  that  we  ought  to  aim  at  the  evan- 
gelization of  the  globe,  he  offered  prayer,  minutely 
and  fully,  day  after  day,  for  some  particular  sec- 
tion of  it.  You  may  believe  the  United  States 
had  a  worthy  place.  But  I  do  not  suppose  that 
any  of  your  fifty  millions  of  people  ever  heard  a 
moderator  in  public  prayer  enumerate  each  one  of 
your  States  and  Territories  and  many  of  your 
principal  cities,  bringing  them  all  up  to  the  throne 
of  grace  for  a  blessing,  as  a  master  of  ceremo- 
nies brings  up  the  members  of  a  company  to  a 
sovereign  or  a  president  for  presentation.  Yet 
this  was  done,  and  done  reverently.  It  is  true 
that  as  he  went  through  his  long  lists  with  admi- 
rable precision  and  comprehensiveness  we  were 
lost  in  wonder,  feeling  how  utterly  beyond  our 
power  such  an  achievement  was,  and  marveling 
at  the  geographical  capacity  of  the  head  that 
seemed  able  to  carry  every  State  and  province  of 
the  world,  and  at  the  tongue  that  so  fluently  ex- 
pressed them.  But  there  was  reality  in  it.  Some- 
times he  would  insert  a  characteristic  adjective, 
as,  for  instance,  *  snowy  Alaska,'  and  sometimes 
he  would  fix  on  other  features  of  particular  States 
that  gave  them  an  interest  of  their  own.  But  he 
assumed  that  from  his  heart,  and  the  hearts  ot 
many  that  beat  in  unison  with  his,  there  went  up 
to  heaven  a  very  fervent  desire  that  God's  bless- 
ing would  rest  on  every  one  of  your  States.     Id 


APPENDIX.  459 

his  opening  address  he  startled  some  of  our  High- 
land brethren  by  telling  them  that  he  had  a 
prayer-book  to  recommend  for  their  daily  use, 
but  the  startled  look  gave  way  to  a  smile  when 
he  mentioned  the  title  —  *  W.  and  A.  Keith  John- 
ston's Pocket  Atlas.'  Day  after  day,  as  he  pre- 
sented at  the  throne  of  grace  country  after  coun- 
try, and  showed  himself  as  familiar  with  the 
divisions  and  cities  of  India  and  China  as  with 
those  of  Scotland  or  of  England  and  Wales,  it  be- 
came apparent  how  good  use  he  had  made  of  this 
prayer-book  himself.  But  he  gave  many  a  new 
sense  of  the  infinite  ramifications  of  intercessory 
prayer  when  full  scope  is  given  to  its  spirit.  To 
pray  for  the  world  is  short  and  easy ;  to  pray  for 
every  country,  State,  and  city  is  something  infi- 
nitely higher." 

52.  p.  268.  Many  a  pastor  can  bear  testimony  similar  to  that  of 
the  Rev.  Moses  Smith,  of  Detroit:  "From  boy- 
hood I  have  enjoyed  the  monthly  missionary  con- 
cert. As  a  pastor  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century  I  have  observed  the  feast.  I  find  it  one 
of  the  most  effective  methods  of  keeping  a  church 
from  settling  into  the  ruts,  becoming  narrow 
in  thought,  or  dissatisfied  with  God's  gifts.  I 
have  been  wont  to  urge  the  cultivation  of  the 
missionary  spirit  —  and  the  monthly  meeting  as 
the  indispensable  means  of  this  cultivation  —  as 
one  of  the  most  helpful  for  small  and  weak 
churches  all  over  our  land.  Not  a  few  pastors  of 
feeble  churches  would  find  unspeakable  blessings 
in  educating  their  people  to  gratitude  and  breadth 
of  soul." 

53*  P*  Z^Z'  The  next  year  (1847)  the  earliest  token  of  interest  was 
on  the  first  Monday  in  January,  and  it  was  after- 


460  APPENDIX. 


wards  found  that  special  prayer  for  the  school 
had  been  offered  that  very  day  at  the  Mount 
Holyoke  Seminary.  Similar  was  it  in  1849.  The 
revival  of  1856  came  suddenly,  February  17. 
Then,  too,  as  it  appeared  subsequently,  was  there 
a  like  connection  in  the  agency  of  specific  prayer. 
The  next  twelvemonth  (1857)  was  signalized  in 
the  same  way  by  a  correspondence  with  the 
day  of  prayer  for  institutions  of  learning.  So 
too  in  the  first  week  of  February,  1859,  meetings 
were  held  every  evening  in  the  seminary  at  South 
Hadley,  to  pray  for  the  school  at  Oroomiah,  and 
a  letter  written  at  the  latter  place  the  same 
week  stated  :  "  God  is  with  us ;  souls  are  seeking 
Christ ;  and  I  am  so  strengthened  for  labor  that 
I  am  sure  Christian  friends  are  praying  for  us 
more  than  last  month." 


^4.  p.  318.  A  striking  illustration  of  efficacious  private  supplica- 
tion may  be  found  in  The  Medical  Missionary 
Record^  New  York,  1887,  p.  iii.  It  is  an  incident 
of  his  own  experience  by  Dr.  Chamberlain,  of  the 
Arcot  mission. 


S^>  P-  344*  It  was  held  at  Calcutta  and  continued  four  days 
(September  4-7,  1S55).  Fifty-five  members,  rep- 
resenting six  societies,  were  in  attendance ;  four- 
teen papers  were  presented  and  discussed,  the 
chief  subject  being  missions  in  Bengal.  —  Pro- 
ceedijigs  of  a  General  Conference  of  BeJigal  Prot- 
estant Missionaries.     1855,  pp.  183.     8vo. 

Proceedings  of  South  India  Confer encey  at  Ootacamund. 
Madras,  1858,  pp.  387.  Royal  8vo.  Out  of 
print. 


APPENDIX. 


461 


The  first  South  India  Conference  (1858)  occupied 
seventeen  days  (April  19-May  5).  Twenty-seven 
papers  and  thirty  historical  accounts  were  con- 
tributed. 

Report  of  the  Bengal  Conference  at  LaJiore.  Lodiana, 
1863,  PP-  407. 

Seven  days  (Dec.  26- Jan.  i)  were  devoted  to  a  con- 
sideration of  twenty-three  papers.  These  ex- 
hibited a  wider  range  of  topics  than  at  previous 
conferences,  as  well  as  greater  diversity  of  views, 
and  also  more  criticisms. 

The  Missionary  Conference  of  South  India  and  Ceylon^ 
1879.  2  vols.  Madras,  1880.  Vol.  I  (pp.  475) 
contains  papers,  discussions,  and  general  re- 
view. Vol.  II  (pp.  516)  is  devoted  to  historical 
and  biographical  sketches. 

This,  the  second  South  Indian  Conference,  was  held 
at  Bangalore,  from  Wednesday,  June  11,  to 
Wednesday,  June  18.  One  hundred  and  eighteen 
members  represented  twenty-five  societies.  Forty- 
six  papers  discussed  fifteen  topics. 

56.  p.  346.  Report  of  the  General  Missionary  Conference  at  Al- 
lahabad. London,  1873,  PP-  548. 
The  great  lines  of  railway  from  Calcutta,  Lahore,  and 
Bombay,  meeting  at  Allahabad,  make  that  a 
convenient  and  central  place.  Of  foreign  mem- 
bers connected  with  missions  there  were  96;  of 
native  members  28.  American  delegates  num- 
bered 38,  English  32,  Scottish  19,  German  3, 
Irish  3,  Norwegian  i.  Eight  or  ten  general  topics, 
with  sundry  sub-divisions,  received  attention  in 
over  two- score  papers.  This  was  excessive  ;  the 
range  was  too  wide. 


462  APPENDIX. 

Report  of  the  Second  Decennial  Conference  held  at  Cal- 
ctitta,  1882-3.     Calcutta,  1883,  pp.  162. 

Twenty-seven  societies  were  represented,  thirty  papers 
were  submitted,  and  seven  days  occupied.  Thirty- 
seven  of  the  members  had  also  attended  the  Alla- 
habad Conference. 

Records  of  the  General  Conference  of  the  Protestant 
Missionaries  in  China,  held  at  Shanghai,  1877. 
Shanghai,  1878,  pp.  492. 

Fourteen  days  (May  10-24)  were  occupied  by  sessions. 
Of  the  members  74  were  men  and  52  ladies,  be- 
sides 16  honorary  members.  Twenty  different 
societies  were  represented  —  the  American  hav- 
mg  72  delegates,  the  English  49,  the  German  i. 
Four  persons  were  unconnected.  A  sermon  was 
presented  and  forty-three  papers  were  read. 

Proceedings  of  the  General  Conference  of  the  Protest- 
ant Missionaries  of  Japan.  Yokohama,  1883, 
pp.  468. 

The  membership  amounted  to  106,  of  which  48  were 
ladies.  A  sermon  at  the  opening.  Sundry  pa- 
pers were  read  —  four  of  them  by  native  brethren 
and  two  of  them  by  ladies. 

57*  P'  35<^-  Authorized  Report  of  the  Missionary  Cotiference  held 
in  London,  iSy^.     London,  1875,  pp.  155. 

The  conference  was  preceded  by  a  sermon  and  a 
celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion.  Treatises 
were  read  on  three  subjects,  each  being  followed 
by  addresses  from  six  or  more  gentlemen. 

Authorized  Report  of  the  Second  Missionary  Confer- 
ence held  at  Oxford,  iSj-j.  London,  1877,  pp. 
199. 

It  was  held  on  May  2  and  3,  the  method  pursued 
being  in  general  much  the  same  as  at  the  previ- 
ous conference  of  1875. 


APPENDIX.  463 

58.  p.  350.   Proceedings  of  the  Union  Missionary  Convention  held 

in  New  York,  1834.  New  York,  1854,  pp.  61. 
It  was  composed  of  156  members,  of  whom  loi 
were  clergymen.  The  Hon.  Luther  Bradish  pre- 
sided. A  business  committee  presented  eight 
subjects  for  consideration. 

Conference  on  Missions,  held  in  i860,  at  Liverpool. 
Tenth  thousand,  revised.     London,  i860,  pp.  428. 

Major  General  Alexander  was  chosen  chairman. 
Twelve  papers  were  read. 

59.  p.  352.   International   Missiojts-Gazette.      Rochester,    N.    Y. 

Rev.  J.  T.  Gracey,  D.  D.,  editor.  No.  i  —  July, 
1886;  No.  2  — July,  1887. 

60.  p.  354.   Proceedings  of  the  General  Conference  on   Missions^ 

held  at   Conference  Hall  in  Mildmay  Park,  Lon- 
don, i8']8.     London,  1879,  pp.  434. 
Twenty-three  papers  were  presented. 

61.  p.  425.   Literature  of  the  Subject. 

1.  Proceedings  of  a  General  Conference  of  Bengal 

Protestant  Missionaries.     Calcutta,  1855. 

2.  Proceedings  of  the  South  India  Missionary  Con- 

ference at  Ootacamund.     Madras,  1858. 

3.  Report  of  the  Punjab  Missionary  Conference  at 

Lahore.     Lodiana,  1S63. 

4.  Report  of  the  General  Missionary  Conference  at 

Allahabad.     London,  1873. 

5.  Records  of  the  General  Conference  of  the  Protest- 

ant  Missionaries  in  China,  held   at    Shanghai, 
1877.     Shanghai,  1878. 

6.  The   Missionary   Conference,    South    India    and 

Ceylon,  1879.     2  vols.     Madras,  1880. 

7.  Report  of  the  second  Decennial  Conference,  held 

at  Calcutta,  1882-83.     Calcutta,  1883. 


464  APPENDIX. 

8.  Proceedings  of  the  General  Conference    of   the 

Protestant  Missionaries  of  Japan.     Yokohama, 
1883. 

9.  Proceedings  of  the  Union  Missionary  Convention. 

New  York,  1854. 

10.  Conference  of  Missions,  held  in  i860  at  Liverpool. 

London,  i860. 

11.  Authorized  Report  of  the  Missionary  Conference, 

held  in  London,  1875.     London,  1875. 

12.  Authorized    Report   of    the   second    Missionary 

Conference,  held    at   Oxford,    1877.      London, 
1877.   ^ 

13.  Proceedings  of  the  General  Conference  on   For- 

eign Missions,  held  in  London,  1878.     London, 
1879.    PP-434- 

14.  The  Report  of  the  Centenary  Conference  of  the 

Protestant  Missions  of  the  World,  1888.     2  vols. 
London,  1888. 

15.  Verhandlungen  der  allgemeinen  Missionsconfei 

enz,  1866  und  1868.     Berlin,  1868. 

16.  Verhandlungen    der    dritten    Missionsconferenz, 

1872.     Barmen,  1872. 

17.  Allgemeine  Missions-Zeitschrift,  1876,  undpasstm. 


INDEX 


Abeokuta,  308. 
Aberdeen,  Countess  of,  395. 
Aberdeen,  Earl  of,  391,  395,  401,  402, 

407. 
Adams,  Nehemiah,  216. 
Adolphus,  Gustavus,  25,  146. 
Agende,  German,  121. 
Agincourt,  Battle  of,  307. 
Albrechts,  The,  199. 
Alexander  the  Great,  135. 
Allahabad,  346. 
Allan,  Rev.  W.,  406. 
Alliance,  Evangelical,  237. 
Alliance,  Inter-Seminary,  352. 
Ambrose,  St.,  172. 
Amenities,  Social,  419. 
American  Delegates,  39S,  422. 
Ames,  William,  86. 
Anderson,  Dr,  Rufus,  217,  340. 
Andrews,  Bp.,  128. 
Answers  to  Prayer,  289. 
Anthon,  Prof.,  92. 
Arbitral  ion.  Courts  of,  337. 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  228. 
Aristotle,  83. 
Armstrong,  Dr.  Wm.,  7. 
Armstrong,  Mrs.  W.  F.,  394. 
Arndt,  John,  90. 
Attitude  of  Mind,  104. 
Aug;istine,  102. 

Backus,  Pres't,  145. 
Baldwin,  Frederick,  86. 
Bangalore,  345. 
Bannockburn,  261. 
Baptist  Churches,  1S6. 
Barnes,  Rev.  Albert,  231. 
Earth,  C.  G.,  174. 
Baxter,  Richard,  12,  78,  148,  438. 
Bede,  Venerable,  380. 
Benares,  344. 
Benevolence,  Law  of,  62. 
Bennet,  Benjamin,  127. 
Beracah,  Valley  of,  330. 
Berkeley,  Bp.,  23. 
Bethlehem,  26. 
Bethlehem,  Pa.,  179. 
Beveridge,  Bp.  Wm.,  13. 


Bible  Society,  Brit,  and  For.,  370,  411. 

Bickersteth,  Edward,  130. 

Birks,  Prof.,  80. 

Blackadder,  Col.  John,  308. 

Blackstone,  Sir  Wm.,  181. 

Blaikie,  Dr.  W.  G.,  458. 

Blumhardt,  Pastor,  145. 

Board,  American,  369. 

Bogatzky,  173. 

Boston,  Thomas,  446. 

Brainerd,  David,  36,  66,  98,  143,  209, 

295.  413.  444- 
Brown,  Sir  Thomas,  78. 
Bruce,  Dr.  Robert,  405. 
Buchanan,  Claudius,  199. 
Buddhism,  405. 
Bull,  Henry,  128. 
Burk,  J.  C.  F.,  15. 
Burnet,  Bp.,  13. 
Bums,  Wm.  C,  35. 
Buxton,  Sir  Thomas  Fowell,  362. 

Cairns,  Dr.,  406. 

Calcutta,  344,  347. 

Calhoun,  Dr.  S.,  4. 

Calvin,  107. 

Canterbury,  Archbishop  of,  399. 

Carey,  William,  25,  55,  143,  255. 

Casuistry,  86. 

Catechism,  The  Assembly's,  166,4461 

Centennial  Conference,  412. 

Chalmers,  Thomas,  109. 

Chamberlain,  Rev.  G.  M.,  435. 

Chantal,  Baron  de,  374. 

Charlemagne,  62. 

Child,  Miss  Abbie  B.,  394. 

Choctaw,  A  Christian,  21. 

Christ's  Authority,  42. 

Christ's  Intercession,  137. 

Christ's  Last  Command,  48. 

Christ's  Presence,  279. 

Christ's  Special  Prerogative,  43. 

Christlieb,  Dr.,  226. 

Chrysostom,  9,  10,  32,  445. 

Clark,  Dr.  N.  G.,  360. 

Coincidences,  312. 

Commerce,  406. 

Commiseration  for  the  Heathen,  53. 

(465) 


466 


INDEX. 


Concert  of  Prayer,  Monthly,  208,  250. 
Concert  of  Prayer,  Primitive,  246. 
Conferences,  Ecumenical,  354. 
Conferences,  General,  346,  382,  463. 
Conferences,  German,  351. 
Conference,  Liverpool,  351. 
Conferences,  Local,  339,  343,  462. 
Conferences,  London,  354,  379. 
Conferences,  Missionary,  335,  460. 
Contribvations,  220,  223. 
Convert,  Heathen,  22. 
Corvinus,  91. 

Councils,  Ecclesiastical,  383,  419. 
Covenants  of  Supplicaiion,  271. 
Crosby,  Daniel.  234. 
Crowther,  Bp.,  392. 
Cust,  Dr.  R.  N.,411. 
Cyprian,  162,  176. 

Dale,  Dr.,  16. 

Danish  Missions,  413. 

Death-beds,  144. 

Delays,  Specific,  298. 

Deputations,  340. 

Desires,  Enlarged,  262. 

Distance  Embarrassing,  293. 

Doberj  Leonhard,  59. 

Doddridpre,  98,  184. 

Donne,  Dr.,  144. 

Doors  Opened,  306. 

Drachart,  59. 

Duff,  Dr.  Alexander,  103,  200,  350. 

Earl  of  Devonshire,  269. 
Earnestness,  Persevering,  252. 
Earnest  Supplication,  140,  147,  252. 
East  India  Company,  54. 
Edificatory  Writings,  87. 
Edmonds,  Prebendary,  407. 
Edwards,  John,  13. 
Edwards,  Pres't,    i49>   164,    191,  197, 

227,  317. 
Ehrenfeuchter,  15. 
Elberfeld,  189. 
EHot,  John,  66,  168. 
EUinwood,  Dr.  F.  F  ,  400,  406. 
Enlarged  Desires,  262,  268. 
Enthusiasm,  Evangelistic,  33. 
Equivalent  Answers,  314. 
Erasmus,  10. 
Erskine,  John,  103. 
Establishment,  English,  239. 
Ethelfred,  u8. 
Ethics,  Christian,  77. 
Ethics,  Defective,  75. 
Ethics,  Philosophical,  81. 
F.varts,  Jeremiah,  213,  217. 
Exhibitions,  Industrial,  335. 
Extra-Denominational,  241. 


Extra-Parochial,  4,  7. 
Eyo,  King,  106. 

Fairbairn,  Dr.  A.  M.,  84. 

Faith,  265. 
Fleming,  Prof.,  79. 
Foster,  John,  255. 
Franke,  A.  H.,  11. 
Fulfillment,  Immediate,  301. 
Fuller,  Andrew,  26,  28,  187,  198. 

Garden  Parties,  421. 
Gebetbuch,  444. 
Germain,  St.,  330. 
Gibbon,  Edward,  97. 
Gill,  Rev.  W.  W.,  434. 
Gladstone,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  422. 
Glassius,  91. 
Goodwin,  Thomas,  289. 
Gordon,  Dr.  A.  J.,  400. 
Gospel,  Power  of,  375. 
Gossner,  6,  150. 
Gregorv,  Nazianzen,  417. 
Griffin,' Dr.  Edward  D.,  205,  281. 
Guelderland,  188. 

Hale,  Matthew,  170. 
Hall,  Pp.,  129. 
Hallock,  Jeremiah,  281. 
Hamilton  of  Gladsmuir,  6. 
Hare,  Archdeacon,  254. 
Harless,  80. 
Harpoot,  293,  314. 
Harrowby,  Earl  of,  391. 
Havelock,  General,  223. 
Hay-stack  Prayer  Meeting,  200. 
Heinrich,  Rev.  Gottlob,  314. 
Henderson,  Dr.,  208. 
Herbert,  George,  12. 
Hinduism,  406. 
Hohannes,  277. 
Holy  Spirit,  Sought,  217. 
Home  Alissionaries,  32. 
Hooker,  Dr.  E.  W.,4S6. 
Hooker,  Dr.  Henry  B.,  233. 
Hopkins,  Dr.  Mark,  76. 
Hoppin,  James  M.,  19. 
Hottentots,  71. 
.Howard,  John. 
Humble  Sphere,  24. 
HumiHation,  251. 
Humphrey,  Pres't,  125. 
Hunt,  John,  259. 
Hunter,  Sir  Wm.  W.,  405. 
Huntington,  Rev.  Joshua,  455. 
Hymn- Books,  449. 

Ignatius,  327. 
Imperative,  Fitness  of,  61. 


INDEX. 


467 


Impulses,  Special. 

Id  Christ,  35. 

Indebtedness,  64. 

Index  Rerum,  11. 

Indifference,  5. 

Individual  Names,  258. 

Individuality  of  Supplication,  132,  308, 

458.. 
Infelicities,  367. 
Instinctive  Sentiment,  65. 
Intercession,  Associated,  316. 
Intercession,  Day  of,  239. 
Intercession,  Private, 
Intercommunication,  338. 
Islam,  405. 

Jainism,  405. 
Jenkins,  William,  359. 
Jesuits,  61. 

Jews,  Rlissions  to,  408. 
Josenhans,  174. 
Jortin,  Dr.,  417. 
Jowett,  William,  208. 

Kafir  Convert,  299. 

Kapiolani,  434. 
Kennaway,  Sir  J.  H.,  407. 
Knox,  John,  270. 
Ko-Chat-Thing,  62. 
Krummacher,  F.  W.,  174. 
Kyoto  Training  School,  282. 

Lange,  Prof.,  80. 
Large  Requests,  134. 
Latimer,  Hugh,  107. 
Law,  William,  96. 
Lawrence,  St.,  145. 
Lebanon,  Ct.,  430. 
Legge,  Prof.,  362. 
Literature,  Subjects,  126. 
Liturgies,  443. 
Liverpool  Conference,  351. 
Livingston,  John  H.,  210. 
Local  Needs,  148. 
London,  380. 
Lone  Star  Mission,  300. 
Lord  Mayor,  422. 
Lower  Considerations,  50. 
Lowrie,  W.  M.,  302. 
Luthardt,  80. 
Luther,  Martin,  290. 
Lyon,  Mar>',  313. 
Lyrics,  Sacred,  171. 

McAllister,  Prof.,  408. 
McCheyne,  Robert,  149. 
Macleod,  Dr.  Norman,  342. 
MacVicar,  Principal,  406. 
Malcolm,  Dr.  Howard,  342. 


Manitoulin  Islands,  67. 

Maps,  Missionary,  232. 

Martensen,  80. 

Marston,  Miss  Dr.,  394. 

Mary,  Queen,  270. 

Mason,  John  M.,  210. 

Mason,  Lowell,  215. 

Massillon,  124. 

Mather,  Cotton. 

Maurice,  F.  D.,  8r,  170. 

Mayhew,  168. 

Mayhew,  Zechariah,  200. 

Means  Employed,  146. 

Medical  Missions,  408. 

Melancthon,  142. 

Messianic  Kingdom,  45. 

Method  of  Proceeding,  401. 

Methodism,  182. 

Mexico,  348. 

Mildmay  Park  Conference,  354,  367. 

Miller,  Samuel,  27,  125,  131,  165. 

Mills,   Samuel  J.,  33,   200,  202,  205, 

206,  267,  296. 
Ministerial  Obligation,  119. 
Ministerial  Prayer,  113,  123,  132,  140. 
Ministers  Missionaries,  4. 
Ministry,  American,  8. 
Missions,  Rom.  Cath.,  406. 
Missionary  Obligation,  41. 
Missionary  Union,  International,  352. 
Mission  Fields,  406. 
Mitchell,  Dr.  J.  Murray,  359,  405,  406. 
Moffat,  Mrs.  Mary,  312. 
Moffat,  Rev.  Robert,  363,  397. 
Monthly  Concert,  165,  176. 
Moravians,  15,  121,  177,  256,  260,  305, 

414. 
Mohammedans,  125. 
Mother,  A  Praying,  261,  314. 
Mothers,  Weeping,  70. 
Mount  Holyoke  Seminary,  313,  460. 
Muir,  Sir  William,  356. 
Mullens,  Dr.  Joseph,  341,  361,  398. 
Murphy,  Thomas,  19. 

Nazianzen,  307. 
Neff,  Felix,  232. 
Nelson,  Lord,  53. 
Nettleton,  Asahel,  205. 
Neumeister,  54. 
Newton,  John,  3. 
Nind,  Mrs.  M.  C,  394. 
Norris,  John,  199. 
Northbrooke,  Earl  of,  407. 
Nussairiyeh,  264. 

Obedience,  Prompt,  53. 
Oberlin,  1S8. 
Obookiah,  Henry,  208. 


468 


INDEX. 


Old  South  Church,  Boston,  249. 

Ongole,  300. 
Ootacamund,  345. 
Origin,  107,  127. 
Oroomiah,  313. 
Osaka,  348. 
Osiander,  go. 
Owen,  John,  310. 

Paley,  85. 

Parables,  Pertinent,  20,  57. 

Parker,  Theodore,  442. 

Park  Street  Concert,  210. 

Parochial  Benefits,  26. 

Particularity  of  Petition,  255,  274. 

Patteson,  Sir  Jolm,  258. 

Pastor,  Position  of,  19. 

Paul,  The  Apostle,  124. 

Peril,  Circumstances  of,  307. 

Perkins,  William,  86. 

Pierson,  Dr.  A.  T.,  400. 

Pietas,  Haliensis,  439. 

Plumer,  W.  S.,  18. 

Pond,  Enoch,  17,  165. 

Poor,  Dr.  Daniel,  216. 

Post,  Dr.  George  E.,  399,  405. 

Powder  and  Ball,  375. 

Prayer  Answered,  289,  303. 

Prayer-Book,  119. 

Prayers  Composed,  120. 

Prayer,  Cycle  cf,  240. 

Prayer,  Efficacious,  114,  139,  141. 

Prayer,  Extemporaneous,  123. 

Prayer,  Encouragements,  135. 

Prayer  for  Missions,  113, 

Prayer,  Individual,  132. 

Prayer,  Literature  of,  126,  130,  161. 

Prayer-Meetings,  249. 

Prayer  near  Death,  269. 

Prayer,  Sincere,  254. 

Prayer,  The  Lord's,  166, 

Prayer  Unions,  197,  210,  240,  236, 

Prayer,  United,  155,  271,  306,  308. 

Prayer,  Weak  of,  237. 

Present  Need,  248. 

Presbyterian  Church,  210,  211,  236. 

Prevost,  Ai^'miral,  362. 

Professional  Training,  124. 

Progress,  General,  369. 

Psalmist,  The,  290,  292. 

Psalter,  The,  287. 

Punjab,  345,  346. 

Punshon,  Morley,  361,  398. 

Rabiger,  227. 
Rainy,  Miss,  394. 
Raleigh,  Sir  Walter,  138. 
Radstock,  Lord,  406. 
Ralston,  Robert,  199. 


Rank  and  Titles,  390. 

Reaction,  30. 

Reed,  Hollis,  147,  302. 

Reflex  Benefits,  30. 

Reformation,  10. 

Reformed  Church,  Synod  of,  210,  21a. 

Regal  Commands,  43,  48. 

Results,  323,  422. 

Return  of  Prayers,  269. 

Revivals,  312. 

Richards,  James,  202,  203. 

Romaine,  Wilham,  183. 

Ridgley,  Dr.  Thomas,  447, 

Ryland,  Rev.  John,  55. 

Ryle,  Bp.,  181. 

Samson,  25. 

Sanderson,  Bp.,  86. 

Satanic  Hindrance,  ir8. 

Scheiner,  83. 

School  of  Faith,  265. 

School  of  Prayer. 

Schwartz,  Chr.  Fred,  414. 

Schreiber,  Dr.,  405. 

Scripture  Authoritative,  loi. 

Sechele,  68. 

Senekerim,  277. 

Shaftesbury,  Earl  of,  363,  398. 

Shanghai,  348. 

Shernng,  Rev.  M.  A.,  362,  397. 

Sidgwick,  Prof.,  81. 

Slight,  Rev.  Benjamin,  318. 

Smith,  Canon,  80. 

Smith,  Dr.  George,  411. 

Smith,  Dr.  Judson,  400. 

Smith,  Rev.  Moses,  459. 

Smith,  Mrs.  Moses,  395. 

Smith,  Richard  Travers,  81. 

Smith,  Sydney,  26. 

Sociality  Gaining,  335. 

Somerville,  Dr.  Andrew,  29. 

Spangenberg,  Bp.,  414. 

Spener,  Ph.  Jac,  11,  93. 

Spheres,  Humble,  24. 

Spurious  Calvinism,  36. 

Stael,  Madame  de,  8. 

St.  David's,  Bishop  of,  55. 

Stephens,  Abel,  17. 

Stevenson,  Rev.  Fleming,  362,  398 

Stier,  Dr.  Rudolph,  15,  448. 

Tahiti,  209. 
Talent  and  Position,  386. 
Tawenquatuck,  433. 
Taylor,  Rev.  J.  A.,  392. 
Taylor,  Jeremy,  95,  129. 
Taylor,  J  Hudson,  407. 
Taylor,  Rev.  Wm.  M.,  400. 


INDEX. 


469 


Telegraph,  322. 
Temporal  Benefits,  50. 
Tertullian,  159. 
Text-Books,  75. 
Thanksgiving,  326. 
Thomas,  Rev.  Mr.,  452. 
Thomas  a  Kempis,  87. 
Thurston,  Mrs.,  69. 
Topics  Discussed,  404. 
Treat,  Rev.  S.  B.,  21. 
Treatises,  Professional,  9. 
Triumphs,  Signal,  373. 
Tyndale,  William,  145,  309. 

Underhill,  Dr.  E.  B.,  359. 

Vahl,  Dean,  406. 
Valley  of  Beracah,  330. 
Van  Oosterzee,  16. 
Variety,  Noticeable,  384. 
Venn,  Henry,  94. 
Voltaire,  23. 

Wardlaw,  Dr.,  78. 
Washington,  25. 
Wayland,  Pres't,  76. 
Welch,  John,  140,  142. 
Wellington,  Duke  of,  52, 


Wesley,  John,  8,  182. 
West,  Miss  Maria,  70,  359,  434. 
Whately,  Miss  Mary,  434, 
Wheeler,  C.  H.,  261. 
Whewell,  Prof.,  79. 
Whitefield,  190. 
Whitehead,  Rev.  Mr.,  406. 
Wilberforce,  William,  92,  100. 
Wilkins,  John  B.,  11. 
Willard,  Samuel,  168. 
Williams,  Dr.  Edward,  23,  452. 
Wi'liams,  Sir  Monier,  405. 
Williams,  John,  267. 
Williams  College,  201, 
Wilson,  Bp.  Daniel,  31,  356. 
Wilson,  James  Stewart,  16. 
Woman's  Agency,  358,  393. 
Woods,  Dr.^G.,  78. 
Wright,  Rev.  Henry,  397. 
Wright,  Rev.  Dr.  William,  411. 
Wuttke,  80. 

Xavier,  Francis,  37. 

Year  (1S06),  198, 
Year  (1815),  208. 

ZiNZKNDORF,  Count,  178. 


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